Things to Do
Things to Do

STD rates spike after rise in hookup apps

By George Mathis
May 27, 2015

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As directors of romantic comedies are wont to do, humans have taken something pleasant and ruined it.

Apps on our smartphones that help people hook up are being blamed for a historic rise in STD rates.

Health officials in Rhode Island say the Tinder app, which functions much like a high-tech Rolodex for young millennials, is partially to blame for sexually transmitted diseases being "way up."

How much higher is way up? Between 2013 and 2014, cases of syphilis grew by 79 percent, reports CNN.

HIV infections were up 33 percent and gonorrhea cases increased by 30 percent.

About the Author

George Mathis has worked in the AJC newsroom since 1999 in a variety of roles including editing local news, blogger and columnist.

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