Tinder blamed for spread of STDs

[Ihaveittoo1975]

Not really a surprise I guess.

 

 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/05/26/std-rhode-island-hookup-apps-tinder-stds_n_7443090.html

 

Rhode Island Blames STD Spike On Hookup Apps Like Tinder

 

Sexually transmitted disease rates in Rhode Island rose sharply between 2013 and 2014, and the state's department of health is pointing to hookup apps like Tinder as one of the driving forces behind new outbreaks.

 

The rise has been precipitous: Syphilis cases in Rhode Island increased by 79 percent between 2013 and 2014 while gonorrhea cases increased by 30 percent. Newly identified HIV cases increased by almost 33 percent, according to a new state report.

 

The rates didn't affect all groups equally. Young people between the ages of 15 and 24 were more likely than any other group to be infected with chlamydia and gonorrhea. Men who have sex with other men made up 75 percent of primary and secondary syphilis cases, the two most infectious stages.

 

While the Rhode Island Department of Health attributed some of the increase in STDs to better testing, the report also highlighted the role that high-risk sexual behaviors play in disease transmission:

 

High-risk behaviors include using social media to arrange casual and often anonymous sexual encounters, having sex without a condom, having multiple sex partners, and having sex while under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

 

"These new data underscore the importance of encouraging young people to begin talking to a doctor, nurse, or health educator about sexual health before becoming sexually active and especially after becoming sexually active," Rosemary Reilly-Chammat, an HIV/AIDS sexuality specialist with the Rhode Island Department of Education, said in a statement.

 

Representatives at Tinder, a well-known hookup app that's reportedly been downloaded by some 50 million users around the globe, did not respond to a request for comment from The Huffington Post. But past studies had already highlighted a possible connection between social media hookups and sexually transmitted diseases. A 2013 New York University study linked Craigslist to a 16 percent increase in HIV cases between 1999 and 2008.

 

"Individuals are inclined to discount the future value of staying STD/HIV free and put high value on the instant gratification that casual sex offers," the researchers wrote.

 

Rising STD rates aren't unique to Rhode Island. Nationwide, syphilis cases increased by 10 percent between 2012 and 2013, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, though it's worth noting that nationwide cases of chlamydia and gonorrhea decreased slightly during the same period.

 

Even curable STDs, such as syphilis and gonorrhea, can have long-term consequences for sexual health. Approximately 24,000 women in the United States are likely to become infertile each year because of undiagnosed STDs, which are a major cause of pelvic inflammatory disease.

 

There are more deadly risks as well. According to the World Health Organization, being diagnosed with an STD is associated with a tripled risk of contracting HIV. Human papillomavirus, another sexually transmitted disease, causes 530,000 cervical cancer cases and 275,000 deaths worldwide each year. Mother-to-child STD transmissions carry additional risks for the baby, and can result in a host of health consequences, including stillbirth, neonatal death and birth defects.

 

As always, the best practice here is safer sex. Get tested for STDs and HIV. Ask your partner(s) about their sexual health status. Use a condom every time you have sex, as birth control pills do not prevent STDs. If you are diagnosed with an STD, follow the instructions of your healthcare provider and don't engage in sexual activity until your doctor says it's safe to do so.

[MMissouri]

Not surprised at all..

 

 

[Ihaveittoo1975]

What did surprise me is that there is no mentioning of herpes what so ever, being as common as it is.

[fitgirl]

I actually find this very interesting..... I have heard so often lately how the current generation of late teens and "twenty-somethings" self describe themselves as the "hook-up" generation and this baffles me..... as a 42 years old woman, I can tell you I have had my share of casual sex in my youth so I am not throwing stones by any means but what I don't understand is how and why in this day and age a generation would not be more cautious when we now have so much more information about STI's than ever before. I understand the liberal position and I very much understand the women's liberation position on this topic but to me, it feels like the young people are missing the point and throwing caution to the wind at times. The social media phenomenon has its down side for sure. People are already less connected on a human level as a result of texting, emails, smart phones, online dating etc and it seems that is translating to the same approach to personal relationships. People choosing to hook up instead of entering into meaningful relationships. I know it sounds like a "back in my day" speech but I always wanted to connect with the men I had sex with, have a personal and emotional relationship that may not have been marriage material but had a human connection that went beyond the genitals. I am not judging the casual sex at all, merely saddened by the trend of so many young smart people to enter into sexual activity with their eyes closed when technology has provided us with information that should have their eyes wide open. For us old timers who didn't have the luxury of the Internet, I can only hope that the younger generations will be more careful and mindful with their bodies and their hearts as they experience life in a technological age.

[MMissouri]

@Ihaveittoo1975 I had the same thoughts when I read it, but I thought maybe since it's not tested for routinely (Unless that's changed?) they probably don't have stats on it.

 

@fitgirl, I don't think that kids these days are given a proper sex education. I know there was a few articles I read where parents didn't approve of the curriculum and felt that it was something that should be taught at home... well some/most (in my opinion) don't really get in depth like they should. On the other hand, I had a pretty good sex education (for the times) and yet I still took risks with unprotected sex. I think maturity plays a huge factor in what we are willing to risk. The famous "it won't happen to me" mindset is probably a factor in this as well. I also think since most STDs are cured with a shot, they just aren't as scary as they could be. That leaves herpes and HIV/AIDS, and the latter is being talked about more positively now. Who would have thought!?

[WCSDancer2010]

@fitgirl

 

Well, we've known for a LOT longer that having unprotected sex can result in pregnancy and yet there are millions of teen moms out there. Teenagers have not got fully developed frontal lobes in their brains ... it takes till somewhere in your mid-twenties for that part to fully develop ... and that is the part that makes one stop and do a little risk-vs-reward thinking before you jump off a bridge or whatever. So I'm sure that's a large part of it...

 

And I agree with @MMissouri that Sex Ed is really poorly executed and is doing a GREAT mis-service to kids nowadays :(

 

And finally - we are all far too capable of looking for the easiest way to forget our problems ... and sex is a way to "hook up" with another being (even if it's just for a one nighter) .... and for many, they fool themselves into feeling "validated" because someone wanted their body (and I know there are many who are much more mature/realistic about hook-ups, so I'm not knocking them) .... and it's not until they get something like Herpes that they stop and question WHY they were compelled to jump into bed with someone they really don't know and to trust that the other person would look out for THEIR sexual health (which when you stop to think about it, they are being just as careless about their OWN sexual health, so why would you think that they be able to look out for YOU???)

 

What we need is a system to teach people that IF you are going to hook up, you need to do it like ADULTS ... and have ADULT conversations about the risks and what-not before you start removing your clothes .... because many here wouldn't be here if they had done that one simple thing ;)