Mr. Editor

The Covid-19 pandemic has exposed social needs and problems. In the government's attempts to provide immediate responses, health problems were left aside, as is the case with the control and treatment of sexually transmitted infections. Currently, according to the World Health Organization: Every day, more than one million people contract a sexually transmitted infection (STI). It is estimated that, annually, some 376 million people contract one of these four sexually transmitted infections (STIs): chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis or trichomoniasis¹.

Today most young people have a smartphone with Internet access, the development of applications for these has taken on vital importance in everyday life and its use has diversified. As part of the diversity of social network options available on digital distribution platforms for mobile applications, we find the so-called dating apps, dating apps, or liggin apps. Nowadays, these apps are considered as fast, simple, and less compromising alternatives to finding a partner, having casual sexual encounters or meeting people, because they are increasingly popular². Among the best known we have Tinder and Badoo, which despite the situation have shown great growth.

In a study about sexually transmitted infections and factors associated with condom use in users of dating applications in Brazil (Quiroz et al., 2019), the objective was to characterize Brazilian users of dating applications based on geolocation, estimate the prevalence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and factors associated with condom use. The result was: Regarding the prevalence of STIs, 11.1% had an infection in the last year, including syphilis (3.1%) and herpes (1.5%). The study also showed a significant prevalence of HIV (7.1%) and a considerable number of people who do not know their serological status (28.3%)³.

Meanwhile, in a study on Tinder and risky sexual behaviors in young Spanish people (Wu, 2019) he mentions that these applications can play a facilitating role as a risk factor for unsafe sexual practices. Just like, like anonymity, accessibility, and immediacy. In addition, among the characteristics that facilitate risky sexual practices through applications, others such as misinformation, impulsiveness, or promiscuity should be listed⁴.

A study on the differential profile between users and non-users of mobile dating applications users of dating applications use this medium to find sexual partners; at the same time said that these people tend to be more sexually active and tend to have a significantly higher number of sexual partners throughout their lives in relation to non-users.

However, in Peru, there are still no studies in which it can be verified if there is a relationship between the increase in sexually transmitted infections, which has even been considered the pandemic of the XXI, with the massive indiscriminate use of dating apps known as Tinder, Bando and more, or even imply that these may involve risky behavior. It should be of interest to seek an association and thus be able to implement strategies that promote healthy, safe sexuality and prevent STIs/HIV/AIDS in young people.

For this reason, it is important that medical school leaders take steps to remove the stigma of mental illness and promote help-seeking behaviors when students are stressed and anxious, as high levels of anxiety can affect negatively academic performance.

Universities must adopt public policies of monitoring or tutoring through psychotherapy, allowing students to have psychological coping strategies that they use in the event of a crisis that may arise, as well as the necessary emotional support.