Diagnoses of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) jumped up in recent years, especially among older Americans, according to new data.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The data from FairHealth<\/u><\/a> found a 4.8 percent increase in patients with STD diagnoses from 2020 to 2023. The 65 and older age group saw the highest increase in this period, with a 23.8 percent increase in STD diagnoses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Axios, which reported first<\/u><\/a> on the new figures, noted the data is consistent with findings<\/u><\/a> from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that showed increases in STD diagnoses among adults 55 and older between 2012 and 2022.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The second-largest increase was among those aged 55 to 64, who saw a 16.2 percent jump in STD diagnoses. Patients aged 45 to 54 saw a 7.6 percent increase, while those in the 35 to 44 age group saw a 8.6 percent increase.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The only age groups to see a drop in diagnoses were 18 and younger and 19 to 24.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Overall, the data found that syphilis was the fastest growing diagnosis across all age groups between 2020 and 2023. There was a 29 percent increase in syphilis diagnoses, nearly 17 percent increase for gonorrhea, and about a 14 percent increase for HIV and AIDS.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There was also a 32 percent increase in human papillomavirus (HPV) diagnoses among those 65 and older, according to the data.<\/p>\n\n\n\n