A new report released by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene shows that chlamydia and gonorrhea rates are rising in New York City. From 2021 to 2022, the chlamydia rate among men increased by 5.2% and the rate among women increased by 1.0%. Meanwhile, in the same time period, the gonorrhea rate among men in NYC increased by 10.5%, but decreased by 15.2% among women.
The increase could be a result of higher detection rates after STI screenings were down in the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic. Now with better access to and higher use rates of sexual services, more people are getting STI tests thus increasing detection rates.
While the report doesn’t investigate the sexualities of those being screened for STIs, 2021 data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that, while STIs are common in the U.S. across all groups, STIs disproportionately affect gay and bisexual men and younger people.
Chlamydia and gonorrhea infections are statistically more common in women, but men who have sex with men are at a greater risk of infection than heterosexual men. An issue when it comes to testing for gonorrhea and chlamydia in men who have sex with men is that both STI tests are urine tests, which cannot detect a throat or rectal infection.
The NYC Health Department data does show that reported rectal chlamydia and gonorrhea case numbers among men increased between 2021 and 2022—though their sexualities were not noted in the report.
Another CDC report shows that in 2021, 36% of gonorrhea cases in the U.S. were among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men.
The NYC Health Department report also shows that in 2022, chlamydia and gonorrhea disproportionately affected people living in very high poverty neighborhoods.
These inequities ultimately reveal a failure to provide access to quality sexual health care to everyone who needs it. Furthermore, the ease with which STIs can spread undetected makes it all the more important to screen for them regularly.
So, where can you get tested for gonorrhea and chlamydia for free (or low cost, or without health insurance)? For free or low cost STI testing in NYC, you can visit Sexual Health Clinics or Planned Parenthood. There are also free or low cost STI home test options—like TakeMeHome—which is a discreet option for checking your STI status.
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