Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI)
The data below are taken from the following sources:
- Chlamydia trachomatis infection in Scotland: 2014 to 2023
- Gonorrhoea infection in Scotland: 2014-2023
- Syphilis in Scotland 2019: update
- HIV in Scotland: update to 31 December 2023
- Implementation of HIV PrEP in Scotland: Second Year Report
- Chlamydia trachomatis: In 2023, there were 13,400 diagnoses of chlamydia in Scotland. 55% of chlamydia diagnoses were observed in women (7,392). The majority (72%) of diagnoses in women were in those aged less than 25 years compared to 48% in men.
- Gonorrhoea: In 2023, there were 5,999 diagnoses of gonorrhoea in Scotland. This is higher than in 2022 and represents a 6% increase. Most diagnoses were observed in men (64%: 3,843) and are consistently higher than in women across the ten-year period. Most diagnoses (73%) in women were in those aged less than 25 years compared to 39% in men.. This trend is consistent with previous years where most gonorrhoea diagnoses are reported in younger women, while in men, diagnoses tend be more prevalent in older age groups
- Infectious syphilis: 369 diagnoses were reported to HPS in 2019, a 20% decrease from 2018 (455). The majority of diagnoses were recorded among men who have sex with men (MSM) (86%).
- HIV: In 2023, a total of 385 reports of HIV diagnoses were recorded in Scotland. This includes 126 first time diagnoses (decreasing from 226 first time diagnoses in 2017). In 2023, 206 of the 385 diagnoses reported (54%) were heterosexually acquired, followed by 103 (27%) among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men and 9 (2%) in people who inject drugs.
- PrEP: Of the 3,354 individuals prescribed PrEP at least once over the two-year period (2017-2019), almost all were male (99%, 3,317) and, of these, 98% (3,266/3,317) were men who have sex with men (MSM). Those aged 20-29 at their first prescription made up the largest proportion of patients (41%) with almost a third aged 50 or above (28%). Around a quarter (27%: 910 individuals) of those prescribed PrEP, attended sexual health services for the first time, or the first time in the previous decade, indicating that a proportion of non-attending individuals at high risk of sexual acquisition of HIV have engaged with services since its implementation.
