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Health officials: STDs are on the rise, and many young people don’t seem to care

BOSTON — Once again, health officials have collected data that shows the number of STDs has been on the rise, particularly among young people.

Overall, between 2010 and 2018, cases of chlamydia have increased by 42%, syphilis is up by 150% and gonorrhea has spiked 209%.

Out of all the three diseases, syphilis is the most treatable one, but all three, most especially gonorrhea, are presenting clinicians with a massive challenge because of drug resistance.

“Usually in every dorm room there’s condoms available, free condoms, and they have them in vending machines,” said a male student at Clark University. "But I feel like it’s there, but people just don’t care."

Colleges and universities know that it is during a student’s time studying there that they are more likely to engage in sexual activities with their peers, so they make sure people have access to free tools to prevent not only unwanted pregnancies but also serious STDs.

But even on college campuses, where young people should know better, the notion of safe sex has become more and more of an afterthought.

The lack of caring about health problems as serious as STDs is contributing to yet another rise of these sexually transmitted diseases and infections in Massachusetts.

“Unfortunately, it’s not a surprise,” said UMass Memorial Medical Center Dr. Richard Ellison. “People became accustomed to using what we call barrier precautions; they were using condoms regularly and they were very cautious about who they were having sexual encounters with. As people are no longer frightened of HIV, people have gone back to old bad habits."

Since HIV is no longer the death sentence it used to be and since STDs are treatable, people are no longer as worried about prevention as they used to be.

One of the most disturbing findings from the state points at the age group predominantly getting chlamydia - where some aren’t even old enough to drive.

In 2018, 15 to 24-year-old boys and men made up nearly 60% of chlamydia cases.

“I think kids aren’t scared anymore because worst case scenario you get something you can get pills, take them for a few days and you’re fine,” said a Clark University student. “In other words, you take the pill, get over chlamydia and no big deal, right?”

While that may be true for now, soon pills and shots might not be enough to cure these common diseases.

In the case of gonorrhea, health officials say drug resistance is becoming a huge problem, where the CDC is even calling it an urgent public health threat.

“Gonorrhea is skilled at outsmarting the antibiotics that are used to kill it,” the CDC said.