STI Rates High as Shame Drives Remote Testing

Rural residents travel hours for discreet sexual health care.

Many people in rural Ireland are traveling long distances to avoid being recognized while seeking testing or treatment for sexually transmitted infections (STIs), highlighting the persistent stigma around these conditions.

STI Trends and Contributing Factors

STI rates in Ireland remain elevated, despite recent improvements. Consultant of Sexual Health and HIV Care at **St James’s Hospital**, **Dublin**, **Dr. Aisling Loy** told The Pat Kenny Show on Newstalk that “stigma and shame” continue to impede her work.

**Dr. Loy** noted that while stigma has decreased since the 1980s and 1990s, it still significantly affects patients’ decisions. Some travel for hours to clinics in **Dublin** to avoid being seen locally.

“I work in Dublin, but I think outside of Dublin, especially, I would have patients who travel for many, many hours to come to a clinic in Dublin, so not to be seen locally.

—Dr. Aisling Loy, Consultant of Sexual Health and HIV Care at St James’s Hospital in Dublin

While STI figures are 31% higher than in 2019, rates decreased by 11% last year, peaking in 2023. Preliminary data suggest a further decrease of 15% to 20% this year.

Several factors are believed to contribute to the overall increase, including greater access to care via free online testing services. Additionally, risky behaviors such as inconsistent condom use and multiple sexual partners, along with population growth, may play a role. A recent WHO report noted a global increase in some STIs, with rates of gonorrhea up 82% in 2022 compared to 2015 (WHO, 2024).

The Need for Accessible Services

**Dr. Loy** emphasized that expanding access to sexual healthcare is essential for reducing STI transmission. Currently, ten counties in **Ireland** lack sexual health services provided by the HSE’s 23 free clinics.

“That’s really important, for people to be able to test and access treatment if they need it,” **Dr. Loy** stated, advocating for broader availability of services for all demographics.

Progress in HIV Prevention

**Dr. Loy** also highlighted significant strides in HIV prevention, particularly within the GBMSM (gay, bisexual, men who have sex with men) community through targeted online messaging and public health campaigns.

The introduction of PReP (HIV prevention) in **Ireland** in 2019, coupled with immediate treatment upon diagnosis, has proven effective in preventing transmission.

“And we have PReP, which is HIV prevention, which was introduced in Ireland in 2019. We also ‘test and treat’, so as soon as people are diagnosed, they’re on treatment. This means that they can’t pass it on.”

Continued efforts to reduce stigma and improve access to care are vital for further decreasing STI rates and promoting sexual health across **Ireland**.