In which German cities are STDs most common?

A Robert Koch Institute (RKI) study has revealed in which German cities sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) are the most common, and which STDs are the most common.

How common are STDs in Germany?

Conducted by the Robert Koch Institute, Germany’s public health institute, and analysed by Erobella, a European-wide platform for sex work advertising, a study has found which German cities have the highest number of registered STD cases.

Erobella analysed case figures from 70 German cities, breaking Berlin down into its 12 districts, but only looked at registered syphilis, HIV and gonorrhea cases. Figures for other common STDs, such as chlamydia or genital herpes, were not included.

For syphilis cases, three Berlin districts made up the areas in Germany with the highest number of registered cases per 100.000 residents: Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf, Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg, and Mitte. 

For HIV infections, Fürth in Bavaria, Chemnitz in Saxony and Berlin Mitte had the highest number of registered cases per 100.000 residents. Berlin Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg, Leipzig and Berlin Mitte had the highest number of registered cases of gonorrhea per 100.000 residents.

Erobella warned that the study only included figures for registered cases, i.e. cases when a patient had chosen to get tested for an STD, had tested positive, and the case was logged in the system.

How often do people practice safe sex in Germany?

Despite the health risks related to contracting STDs, according to a separate survey of 2.000 people conducted by Erobella, only 57 percent said that they always practised safe sex. “These figures clearly show that education and prevention remain key challenges,” the platform concluded.

70 percent of respondents said they regularly got an STD test, though regularity varied from every month to once per year. 20 percent of respondents said getting an STD test was too expensive and 15 percent said they saw stigma related to STDs as a barrier to testing.

How to get an STI test in Germany

It is fairly easy and affordable to get an STI test in Germany. If you are in a large city, your first point of call should be the public health office (Gesundheitsamt) in your local area. On the Gesundheitsamt website there will be information about booking an appointment by phone or email.

You can decide whether to book the appointment anonymously, and if you do, no name, ID, or health insurance information is logged. Employees at the Gesundheitsamt may ask which STDs you would like to be tested for and if you have any symptoms or would just like to book a general screening.

Once you arrive at the appointment, you will attend a private consultation with a nurse where they will ask you some questions about your health and sexual history to understand which tests are relevant for your circumstances. A nurse will then carry out the tests you have decided on.

Finally, you can decide whether to pay a small fee (10 euros or so) for the treatment. Free tests are available to low-income people. Before you leave, Gesundheitsamt staff will explain when your results are likely to be ready, give you a results hotline number to call and an anonymised or personalised code.

There is normally a two to three-week wait for results. After the wait, you can call the hotline and enter your code to get your test results. If you choose to be tested anonymously, the results will not be logged anywhere in connection with your name and if you choose to be tested confidentially, they will be logged in your medical record, but cannot be shared without your consent.

It may also be possible to get an STD test at your doctor or gynaecologist, but these offices offer more limited screening options and are more likely to charge 20 to 40 euros to test patients for just one STD or around 150 euros for a full screening.