The Occitanie Regional Health Agency has unveiled the key figures for sexual health in 2022 in Occitanie. Since 2022, she has noted an increase in STI (sexually transmitted infections) screenings, accompanied by an increase in the number of diagnoses in the region.
On the occasion of the national sexual health weeks from Monday June 3 to Sunday June 16, which aim to raise awareness among the general public of the importance of taking care of their sexuality, the ARS (Regional Health Agency) Occitanie has revealed the key figures on this subject for 2022 in the region. From the increasing number of STI (sexually transmitted infections) screenings to the increase in infected people, this year will have been marked by a general increase.
STI diagnoses on the rise in Occitanie
Indeed, the number of uses of STI screening in Occitanie increased in 2022 compared to 2021. “The screening rate in the region is higher than that of France,” indicates the ARS.
The rate of diagnosis of infections has also increased. And it’s Haute-Garonne who holds the record in Occitania. For Chlamydia and Syphilis, which are the two most common STIs, the diagnosis rates reach respectively 145.1% and 13.6% in the departement. As for the other territories in the region, the diagnosis rate for Chlamydia is between 33.7% and 139.5% and that for Syphilis between 0% and 13.4%. The Lot is the department which records the lowest diagnosis rate for these two sexually transmitted infections.
HIV testing is also significantly increasing in 2022 in Occitanie. This year, 330 cases of HIV were discovered in Occitania. To explain this increase in the number of cases, the Agency states that “it is the increase in the number of screenings which generates the increase in the number of cases”. Indeed, thanks to the performance of screening methods, diagnoses are becoming more numerous. The prevention of STIs and the encouragement of screening also play a key role in Occitanie, as do the CEGIDDfree information, screening and diagnosis centers present throughout the region.
An increase in recourse to abortion
Another key figure for sexual health in Occitania: the number of requests for abortion (voluntary termination of pregnancy). The latter is also on the rise. In Occitania, we record thus 21,400 abortions in 2022of which 5,300 in Haute-Garonne. Here again, the department has the highest rate in the region. For the ARS, this increase follows in particular the new possibility for midwives to now practice voluntary terminations of pregnancies.
Meïssa Hadjeb (ISJT)
