STI Rates Are Decreasing Across the US

Late last year the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released the most up-to-date data around sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in the US. The report notes more than 2.4 million cases of syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia were diagnosed in the United States in 2023. This is a decrease of 1.8% from the number of cases reported in 2022, and a sign that after almost twenty years of increasing STI rates, the epidemic may finally be slowing. Although this is positive progress, disparities in the spread of STIs still exist. 

Since 2003, reported cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis have increased 90%. 

However, from 2022 to 2023: 

• Chlamydia cases decreased 1.7% among women. 
• Cases of gonorrhea dropped by 7.7%. Decreases occurred among men and women, most age groups, most races/ethnicities, and in 40 states. 
• Primary and secondary syphilis cases decreased by more than 10%. This is the first decline in these types of syphilis cases in more than two decades.  
• Cases of congenital syphilis increased 3%, but this increase is significantly smaller than in past years when it climbed by as much as 30%. 

As in previous years, there are significant disparities in STIs.

Among individuals 20-24 years old, women were more than twice as likely to have chlamydia than men. Additionally, queer men who have sex with men are disproportionately affected by STIs and co-infection with HIV is common. In 2023, nearly 38% of men with primary and secondary syphilis and who have sex with other men were diagnosed with HIV as well.

Disparities based on race and ethnicity persist with a diagnosis among 58.2 per 100,000 individuals, the rates of primary and second syphilis were highest among American Indians or Alaksa Native people and second highest among Black or African American individuals who had a rate of 39.7 diagnoses per 100,000 people.

Many young people do not have the information they need about using condoms to prevent STIs. The 2024 YouR HeAlth Survey found that 22% of respondents incorrectly answered this true/false statement: condoms are the only method of birth control that can help prevent STIs during penis-in-vagina sex. Another 24% indicated that they didn’t know the answer. This lack of information may in part explain why 48.2% of all reported cases of chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis (all stages) occurred in those age 15-24 in 2023. 

All of this data emphasizes the need to prioritize sexual and reproductive health access at the federal, state, and local level. Power to Decide’s Bedsider is an evidence-based digital platform that offers medically accurate information on every birth control method. Bedsider’s Clinic Finder is the most comprehensive national database of more than 12,000 in-person and telehealth sexual and reproductive health care providers. Together, these tools provide crucial information people need to make informed choices and find access to undergo regular STI screenings.

Taking a comprehensive approach to sexual health also involves using methods of birth control that provide protection against STIs, such as condoms and internal condoms. These are the only methods that prevent both pregnancy and STIs. Education around and access to these methods is crucial for everyone, but especially for young people. Only 26% of respondents to the 2024 YouR HeAlth Survey reported having used a condom or other barrier method the last time they had sex. By incorporating these methods into regular sexual and reproductive health practices, people can not only reduce exposure to STIs but also support their overall reproductive well-being.