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STD Diagnoses Rose 4.8 Percent from 2020 to 2023; Patients in the 65 and Older Age Group Had the Largest Increase

Syphilis, Gonorrhea, and HIV and AIDS Were the Fastest-Growing STD Diagnoses, according to FAIR Health Study

NEW YORK, NY—July 8, 2024—The percentage of commercially insured patients with sexually transmitted disease (STD) diagnoses rose by 4.8 percent from 2020 to 2023, according to a new study from FAIR Health. Patients aged 65 and older were the age group with the largest increase (23.8 percent) in STD diagnoses in that period. The next largest increase (16.2 percent) occurred among patients aged 55 to 64. The study results, which are being released today in the form of an infographic, are based on analysis of data from FAIR Health’s repository of over 47 billion commercial healthcare claim records—the largest such repository in the country.

The FAIR Health findings are consistent with data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showing rising rates of STDs among people aged 55 and older from 2012 to 2022.

Among the other FAIR Health findings, all for the period 2020-2023:

The fastest-growing STD diagnoses by percent change in the percentage of patients with those diagnoses were syphilis (29.4 percent), gonorrhea (16.8 percent), and HIV and AIDS (14.1 percent).
Patients aged 65 and older had the largest increase (32.2 percent) in human papillomavirus (HPV) diagnoses. The next largest increase (21.9 percent) occurred among patients aged 55 to 64.
The percentage of male patients with gonorrhea grew by 59.2 percent while the percentage of female patients with the same diagnosis declined by 19.3 percent.
The percentage of male patients with syphilis grew by 22.9 percent while the percentage of female patients with the same diagnosis grew by 46.5 percent.

FAIR Health President Robin Gelburd stated: “It is central to FAIR Health’s mission to use our vast repository of claims data to provide data on public health concerns and support research by others. We hope this information brings greater clarity to the incidence of STDs.”

For the FAIR Health infographic on STDs, click here.

About FAIR Health

FAIR Health is a national, independent nonprofit organization that qualifies as a public charity under section 501(c)(3) of the federal tax code. It is dedicated to bringing transparency to healthcare costs and health insurance information through data products, consumer resources and health systems research support. FAIR Health possesses the nation’s largest collection of commercial healthcare claims data, which includes over 49 billion claim records and is growing at a rate of over 3 billion claim records a year. FAIR Health licenses its commercial data and data products—including benchmark modules, data visualizations, custom analytics and market indices—to commercial insurers and self-insurers, employers, providers, hospitals and healthcare systems, government agencies, researchers and others. Certified by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) as a national Qualified Entity, FAIR Health also receives data representing the experience of all individuals enrolled in traditional Medicare Parts A, B and D, which accounts for a separate collection of over 49 billion claim records; FAIR Health includes among the commercial claims data in its database, data on Medicare Advantage enrollees. FAIR Health can produce insightful analytic reports and data products based on combined Medicare and commercial claims data for government, providers, payors and other authorized users. FAIR Health’s systems for processing and storing protected health information have earned HITRUST CSF certification and achieved AICPA SOC 2 Type 2 compliance by meeting the rigorous data security requirements of these standards. As a testament to the reliability and objectivity of FAIR Health data, the data have been incorporated in statutes and regulations around the country and designated as the official, neutral data source for a variety of state health programs, including workers’ compensation and personal injury protection (PIP) programs. FAIR Health data serve as an official reference point in support of certain state balance billing laws that protect consumers against bills for surprise out-of-network and emergency services. FAIR Health also uses its database to power a free consumer website available in English and Spanish, which enables consumers to estimate and plan for their healthcare expenditures and offers a rich educational platform on health insurance. An English/Spanish mobile app offers the same educational platform in a concise format and links to the cost estimation tools. The website has been honored by the White House Summit on Smart Disclosure, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), URAC, the eHealthcare Leadership Awards, appPicker, Employee Benefit News and Kiplinger’s Personal Finance. For more information on FAIR Health, visit fairhealth.org.

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STD Diagnoses Rose 4.8 Percent from 2020 to 2023; Patients in the 65 and Older Age Group Had the Largest Increase

Syphilis, Gonorrhea, and HIV and AIDS Were the Fastest-Growing STD Diagnoses, according to FAIR Health Study

About FAIR Health

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