What explains the leap in infections among young people?

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Leap in Youth Infections Linked to Post-Pandemic Behavioural Shifts

The surge in sexually transmitted infections among young people, particularly young heterosexual women, is attributed by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) to potential changes in sexual behaviour following the COVID-19 pandemic. This rise is occurring alongside broader trends of increasing STIs across Europe, which had been temporarily masked by pandemic-related social isolation measures.
Changes in Sexual Behaviour Post-Pandemic

A significant factor cited for the increase in infections among young heterosexual individuals is a potential shift in their sexual behaviour after the pandemic. While the specific nature of these behavioural changes is not detailed, the ECDC suggests that a return to more social interactions and potentially different dating or sexual practices may be contributing. This observation is particularly noted in the latest data concerning young women.
Broader Factors Contributing to STI Rise

Beyond specific demographic groups, the ECDC points to several overarching reasons for the sustained increase in STIs across Europe. These include enhanced surveillance systems that can detect more cases and a greater availability and uptake of home-testing kits, which can identify infections that might otherwise go unreported. Alongside these, an increase in what is described as "riskier sexual behaviour" is also considered a contributing element to the overall upward trend.
Increased Risk and Undetected Cases

The ECDC’s data indicates a general rise in sexually transmitted infections, with reported cases of gonorrhoea jumping by 48 per cent to over 70,000 in 2022, and syphilis cases increasing by 34 per cent to more than 35,000. The agency’s director, Andrea Ammon, cautioned that these figures likely represent only the "tip of the iceberg," suggesting that many infections remain undetected due to various factors, including asymptomatic cases and barriers to testing and reporting.

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What explains the leap in infections among young people?

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