health officer blames social media for Alberta's skyrocketing rate of gonorrhoea

[Anonymous]

Tinder is bad for public health according to Dr Karen Grimsrud.

http://news.nationalpost.com/health/social-media-and-hookup-culture-blamed-as-albertas-gonorrhea-rates-rise-80-per-cent-syphilis-rates-double">http://news.nationalpost.com/health/soc ... tes-double">http://news.nationalpost.com/health/social-media-and-hookup-culture-blamed-as-albertas-gonorrhea-rates-rise-80-per-cent-syphilis-rates-double

Rates of infectious syphilis and gonorrhea have skyrocketed to outbreak levels in Alberta in the past year, a disturbing trend health leaders link to the rise of social media sites used for sexual hookups.



"The use of social media to make an anonymous connection, very quickly, we believe is driving this particular outbreak," said Dr. Karen Grimsrud, the province's new chief medical officer of health. "When people don't know their sexual partners' identities, it makes it difficult for public health to contact partners, as far as setting up testing and treatment."



She said Alberta Health Services and the province will step up efforts to combat the outbreak, in part by expanding the hours of sexual health clinics and encouraging family physicians to speak to their patients about the importance of getting tested. AHS is also working on strengthening an awareness campaign that will try to reach at-risk groups through social media and the sexgerms.com website.



"We will be using Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and whatever else comes along, more intensely than we have," said Dr. Gerry Predy, senior medical officer of health for AHS. "If we can identify the websites people are going to hook up, then we can target ... those sites with ads we want to get out."



The use of social media to make an anonymous connection, very quickly, we believe is driving this particular outbreak

.

 Newly released statistics show more than 3,400 cases of gonorrhea were reported in the province last year, an 80-per-cent jump from 2014. Grimsrud said the trend, which appears to be continuing in 2016, has driven Alberta's rate of infection to a level not seen since the late 1980s.



The biggest increase last year was among women, particularly in the age group those of 20 to 24. Indigenous women accounted for about half of the cases among females.



Infections among men who have sex with men also rose sharply, to a level 11 times higher than the provincial rate for all males.



As for syphilis, Alberta doubled its caseload last year with more than 350 reported infections and surpassed historic highs set in 2009.



Men who have sex with men saw the biggest increase, accounting for 86 per cent of all the cases. A quarter of those infected with syphilis also tested positive for HIV.

[Anonymous]

Albertans are sluts. ac_sothere

[Anonymous]

Albertans are sluts. ac_sothere

I think you would find similar results in other provinces or American states.

[Anonymous]

Albertans are sluts. ac_sothere

I think you would find similar results in other provinces or American states.

I would not doubt that. I am just teasing the Albertans here.

[JOE]

...signs of a worsening economy perhaps?



When people don't have jobs, nothing else to do so they sleep around.



Prostitution flourishes in the absence of jobs.



Article says half of the cases are indigenous women, so it appears to affect the poorer groups the most, which are also hit with unemployment.

[RW]

Article says half of the cases are indigenous women, so it appears to affect the poorer groups the most, which are also hit with unemployment.

Actually the article does NOT say that.  Try again Joey.

[Anonymous]

Albertans are sluts. ac_sothere

I think you would find similar results in other provinces or American states.

Yes, you certainly would in the US.  2014 national figures indicate a 15% increase in syph and a smaller increase in gonorrhea infections, with half of new infections being reported in the under-25 age group.  Gonorrhea rates are probably higher than that, since gonorrhea is often asymptomatic in females and young females often are not tested.

[Renee]

...signs of a worsening economy perhaps?



When people don't have jobs, nothing else to do so they sleep around.



Prostitution flourishes in the absence of jobs.



Article says half of the cases are indigenous women, so it appears to affect the poorer groups the most, which are also hit with unemployment.

No Joe, that just what YOU would think about doing if the cab stand ever closed it's doors.



And I say "think about" because we all know you've never actually been laid. Is there still hope for the hopeless?........in your case, I'm not too.....hopeful.

[Anonymous]

Albertans are sluts. ac_sothere

I think you would find similar results in other provinces or American states.

Yes, you certainly would in the US.  2014 national figures indicate a 15% increase in syph and a smaller increase in gonorrhea infections, with half of new infections being reported in the under-25 age group.  Gonorrhea rates are probably higher than that, since gonorrhea is often asymptomatic in females and young females often are not tested.

Do they blame social media?

[ELPHUPPHY]

Albertans are sluts. ac_sothere

I think you would find similar results in other provinces or American states.

Yes, you certainly would in the US.  2014 national figures indicate a 15% increase in syph and a smaller increase in gonorrhea infections, with half of new infections being reported in the under-25 age group.  Gonorrhea rates are probably higher than that, since gonorrhea is often asymptomatic in females and young females often are not tested.

Do they blame social media?

You can blame social media if you want to make excuses. I blame the lack of morals prevelant today. Used to be, you at least got to know someone well, developed some kind of relationship with a person before sleeping with them. Nowadays, that seems to be out the window. It's a shame, because young people miss out on building a relationship with a person, getting to know them, holding hands and all that.. Yes, I'm old and old-fashioned.

[Mac N Cheese]

...signs of a worsening economy perhaps?



When people don't have jobs, nothing else to do so they sleep around.



Prostitution flourishes in the absence of jobs.



Article says half of the cases are indigenous women, so it appears to affect the poorer groups the most, which are also hit with unemployment.

I don'think the economy is a factor at all.

[Anonymous]

Yes, you certainly would in the US.  2014 national figures indicate a 15% increase in syph and a smaller increase in gonorrhea infections, with half of new infections being reported in the under-25 age group.  Gonorrhea rates are probably higher than that, since gonorrhea is often asymptomatic in females and young females often are not tested.

Do they blame social media?

So far, I haven't seen any studies assigning blame.  Personally, I tend to see "failure to keep trousers zipped" as the over-arching cause.

[RW]

Yes, you certainly would in the US.  2014 national figures indicate a 15% increase in syph and a smaller increase in gonorrhea infections, with half of new infections being reported in the under-25 age group.  Gonorrhea rates are probably higher than that, since gonorrhea is often asymptomatic in females and young females often are not tested.

Do they blame social media?

So far, I haven't seen any studies assigning blame.  Personally, I tend to see "failure to keep trousers zipped" as the over-arching cause.

BINGO

[cc]

Ditto

[Renee]

Oh well, 30 years and millions spent on safe sex education down the drain. ac_biggrin