Croydon STI rates: A comparison with nearby areas and England

As the world’s leading private STI testing company, Better2Know understands the need to keep up to date with the latest Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) statistics across the world and here in the UK. Though it is important to build an international and national picture through latest data, it is also key to look at more localised information and take notice of what is being found in local studies.

One such study, published by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) on 27 January 2022, provides interesting insights on sexual health data in Croydon and contrasts it with neighbouring areas in and around Greater London as well as the rest of England.

The key findings from the study were as follows:

• New sexually transmitted infections (STIs) diagnosed in Croydon in 2020 were 3,479.
• This represents 895 people per 100,000 Croydon residents which contrasted with 562 per 100,000 in England and 825 per 100,000 compared with other nearby local authorities
• Croydon ranked as the 18^th highest out of 149 upper tier local authorities (UTLAs) and unitary authorities (UAs) for new STI diagnoses.  This figure excluded Chlamydia among young people aged 15 to 24 years old in 2020
• In Croydon during 2020, the Chlamydia detection rate per 100,000 people aged 15 to 24 years old was 1,802. The rate for England was 1,408
• Croydon ranked 19^th highest for gonorrhoea diagnoses out of 149 UTLAs/UAs in 2020 with a rate of 193 per 100,000 compared to 101 in England
• New HIV diagnoses among people aged 15 years and over in Croydon was 52 in 2020 making the prevalence at 5.7 per 1,000 people aged 15 to 59 compared with England´s 2.3
• Between 2018 and 2020, HIV diagnoses made at a later stage of infection* in Croydon was 48.9%, slightly higher than the 42.4% for England as a whole
• STIs in 2020 increasingly affected gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM) along with young people aged 15 to 24 years old and people with Black Caribbean ethnicity

*Later stage infection is classified as people with CD4 count ≤350 cells/mm³ within 3 months of diagnosis.

The above data shows Croydon ranks relatively high compared to other local authorities and the total averages for England. It has a high ranking for gonorrhoea diagnoses, which the study suggests shows a predisposition towards increased levels of high-risk sexual activity.

The following graph taken from the UKHSA study, compares Croydon with similar local authorities. It examines new STIs in 2020 excluding Chlamydia in under 25-year-olds.

As you can see Croydon has fared better than Haringey or Brent and the London UKHSA Centre but falls short and considerably behind Bexley, Havering, and Sutton.

How can you check your sexual health?

Better2Know can assist you in taking care of your sexual health wherever you live, with private clinics across the UK.  If you live in Croydon, there are 50 clinics available within 20 miles of this location, as part of the Greater London area.

If you are concerned about your sexual health including STIs and HIV, then speak with one of our highly trained personal advisors confidentially today by phone or live chat. We offer Chlamydia, Gonorrhoea, Syphilis and HIV testing along with STI testing for many of the most common sexually transmitted infections.

We also provide screens which have been designed by medical experts such as our Early Platinum Screen which tests for HIV, Chlamydia, Gonorrhoea, Syphilis, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Herpes I/II (Current Infection), Mycoplasma, Ureaplasma, Trichomonas and Gardnerella.

Our team is here to help you 24 hours a day, seven days a week to obtain peace of mind about your health. We can arrange discreet testing at a clinic near you, with a private nurse visit, or you can order a convenient home test kit.

Sources

[1] UK Health Security Agency: Summary profile of local authority sexual health Croydon