Cases of gonorrhea and chlamydia are increasing the most among retirees, blaming the increasing use of dating apps, according to a report.
The Local Government Association (LGA), which represents more than 350 councils in England and Wales, said the number of common STIs detected in people over 65 rose by a fifth between 2017 and 2019.
The report noted that “the greatest proportional increase in gonorrhea and chlamydia was observed in people over the age of 65.”
Experts have suggested that the rise may be due to more older Britons finding new sex partners after a divorce or bereavement with the convenience of online dating.
The LGA warned that the rise in STD cases was due to sexual health services being “over the top”.
Official figures from the UKHSA show that the number of gonorrhea cases among the over-65s in England rose from 237 in 2017 to 386 in 2019, while chlamydia cases rose from 412 to 554 cases in the same period. Women remained largely the same.
There may be an increase in unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases may continue to increase if the government does not invest in services.
LGA figures, released in a report titled Breaking Point: Securing the Future of Sexual Health Services, show that the total number of STIs among those over 65 increased by 20.5 per cent from 2,280 in 2017 to 2,748 in 2019.
Separate figures from the UK Health Security Agency, cited in the report, show that gonorrhea cases in the England cohort rose from 237 in 2017 to 386 in 2019 – a rise of 63 per cent.
And the number of chlamydia cases rose by more than a third from 412 to 554 in the same period.
The LGA report also found that males accounted for the majority of cases of both infections, while female cases remained largely the same.
David Fothergill, chairman of the LGA’s Community Wellbeing Board, said: “Sexual mixing has changed significantly over the past 10 years, with the rise of app use and online dating.”
He told The Guardian: “This, coupled with a small but growing number of people over the age of 65 requiring support from sexual health services, has meant that these services have had new and emerging pressures to face. “
The LGA said the rise in STI rates was because public health subsidies, which local authorities use to fund sexual health services, were cut by more than £1 billion between 2015/16 and 2020/21.
Meanwhile, demand has increased significantly. According to the report, there were more than four million sexual health services by 2021 – a 36 percent increase since 2013.
The LGA is calling on Chancellor Jeremy Hunt to support the rise in demand for sexual health care in Thursday’s financial statement.
It warned that there could be an increase in unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases due to budget cuts and the increase in users of sexual health services.
Mr Fothergill said: “Councils are facing a perfect storm of rising demand for services as they continue to cut their funding.
“This is unsustainable and risks reversing the encouraging decline in some STDs and the potential increase in unwanted pregnancies.
Chlamydia remains the most commonly diagnosed STI, accounting for 51 percent of all confirmed cases. However, approximately 2,000 fewer cases were diagnosed in 2021 than in 2020
Around 51,074 cases of gonorrhea were diagnosed in 2021, 841 more than in 2020. However, the numbers are still below pre-pandemic levels, peaking in 2019 with 70,908 cases
“For councils to continue to meet the sexual and reproductive health needs of their communities, they need to see long-term public health subsidies increase in the upcoming Autumn Statement.”
The report comes after an analysis by MailOnline found chlamydia rates vary widely across the country.
London, Lincolnshire and Liverpool have emerged as England’s chlamydia hotspots, officials said.
The equivalent of 3 per cent of people aged 15 to 24 living in Lambeth, a south London borough where Clapham and Brixton live, tested positive for chlamydia last year.
Official data showed chlamydia rates among young people in the worst-hit area were nearly 14 times higher than in the least-hit areas. The disease was detected in 3,063 people aged 15 to 24 per 100,000 in Lambeth, London, in the year to April 2021. By comparison, in the market town of Horsham, West Sussex, only 222 per 100,000 in the age group were infected.
Similar rates were observed in Lewisham, Hackney and North East Lincolnshire.
STD rates have fallen to record lows. Fewer than 160,000 cases were registered in 2021 – a third less than before the pandemic.
Business had been creeping in steadily before Covid struck, but lockdowns have seen rates naturally drop as people are less able to meet for casual sex and business.
Around 51,074 cases of gonorrhea were diagnosed, 841 more than in 2020, according to UKHSA statistics released last month. Again, the numbers were still below pre-pandemic levels, peaking in 2019 at 70,908 cases.
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Crystal Leahy is an author and health journalist who writes for The Fashion Vibes. With a background in health and wellness, Crystal has a passion for helping people live their best lives through healthy habits and lifestyles.
