Sexually transmitted infections and dating app use

Carlos Bustamante Orellana; Jordan Lyerla; Aaron Martin; Fabio Milner; Carlos Bustamante Orellana; Jordan Lyerla; Aaron Martin; Fabio Milner

doi:10.3934/mbe.2024177

Mathematical Biosciences and Engineering

2024, Volume 21, Issue 3: 3999-4035. doi: 10.3934/mbe.2024177

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Research article Special Issues

Sexually transmitted infections and dating app use

1.
Simon A. Levin Mathematical, Computational and Modeling Sciences Center, Arizona State University, Engineering Center, A Wing, AZ 85287-3901, USA
2.
Department of Biology, Univeristy of Kansas, 1200 Sunnyside Ave., Lawrence, KS 66045, USA

Received: 18 December 2023 Revised: 30 January 2024 Accepted: 04 February 2024 Published: 22 February 2024

Incidence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) is rising sharply in the United States. Between 2014 and 2019, incidence among men and women has increased by 62.8% and 21.4%, respectively, with an estimated 68 million Americans contracting an STI in 2018.^a Some human behaviors impacting the expanding STI epidemic are unprotected sex and multiple sexual partners.^b Increasing dating app usage has been postulated as a driver for increases in the numbers of people engaging in these behaviors. Using the proposed model, it is estimated that both STI incidence and prevalence for females and males have increased annually by 9%–15% between 2015 and 2019 due to dating apps usage, and that STI incidence and prevalence will continue to increase in the future. The model is also used to assess the possible benefit of in-app prevention campaigns.

^ahttps://www.cdc.gov/nchhstp/newsroom/fact-sheets/std/STI-Incidence-Prevalence-Cost-Factsheet.htm

^bA. N. Sawyer, E. R. Smith, and E. G. Benotsch. Dating application use and sexual risk behavior among young adults. Sexuality Research and Social Policy, 15:183–191, 2018.
- STIs,
- two-sex epidemic models,
- phone dating apps,
- contact rates
Citation: Carlos Bustamante Orellana, Jordan Lyerla, Aaron Martin, Fabio Milner. Sexually transmitted infections and dating app use[J]. Mathematical Biosciences and Engineering, 2024, 21(3): 3999-4035. doi: 10.3934/mbe.2024177

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Abstract

Incidence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) is rising sharply in the United States. Between 2014 and 2019, incidence among men and women has increased by 62.8% and 21.4%, respectively, with an estimated 68 million Americans contracting an STI in 2018.^a Some human behaviors impacting the expanding STI epidemic are unprotected sex and multiple sexual partners.^b Increasing dating app usage has been postulated as a driver for increases in the numbers of people engaging in these behaviors. Using the proposed model, it is estimated that both STI incidence and prevalence for females and males have increased annually by 9%–15% between 2015 and 2019 due to dating apps usage, and that STI incidence and prevalence will continue to increase in the future. The model is also used to assess the possible benefit of in-app prevention campaigns.

^ahttps://www.cdc.gov/nchhstp/newsroom/fact-sheets/std/STI-Incidence-Prevalence-Cost-Factsheet.htm

^bA. N. Sawyer, E. R. Smith, and E. G. Benotsch. Dating application use and sexual risk behavior among young adults. Sexuality Research and Social Policy, 15:183–191, 2018.

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