That Tinder hookup might leave a more lasting impression than you anticipated.
Sexually transmitted infection rates – like Syphilis -- are on the rise in Thunder Bay, and health officials believe the growing acceptance of online hookup culture may be to blame.
Statistics show in 2014 the Syphilis count was five people, which increased to eight in 2015. Health officials said this year, the count for the infection is sitting at five already.
Public health nurse Ashley Belanger said the Thunder Bay and District Health Unit has seen an increase in the numbers of people who are finding their partners online.
“We definitely see people in the younger generations using more social media, but because of divorce rates and separation rates we also have a large population of people in their 40s, 50s and 60s who are using these sites as well.”
The older generation adopting dating techniques of millennials may be part of what is fueling the rise in STI rates.
Belanger said the older demographic wasn’t exposed to the same education that today’s generation has received and as a result the unit has noticed less condom use, less knowledge about how STIs are transmitted and what infections the public could come into contact with.
"We always encourage people to protect themselves the best they can,” Belanger said.
“We try to frame things from a sex positive perspective at the health unit so we encourage people to use condoms with their partners and to limit the number of partners that they have.”
“From a public health perspective we can often implement strategies into certain populations, if someone is meeting their partners online they can find out where online and maybe target our strategies more towards those sites.”
The Health Unit has produced a variety of advertising campaigns to be launched onto those websites.
The advertisements will allow the internet user to click on the ad, which will load the Thunder Bay District Health Unit web page and provide them with information about STIs, what tests exists and how they can access the testing.
Belanger said it is important to obtain contact information from the person's sexual partner.
“We can use those ways to actually connect to that person and let them know that they were named as a contact of a STI and that we can offer them the testing and the treatment they need if the treatment exist.”
