Venereal Diseases among Female Alcoholics

Abstract

The incidence of gonorrhoea among 71 female alcoholics was studied from the twentieth year before, to the ninth year after the first compulsory treatment by the Temperance Board of Malmö. Twenty-five probands had, at some time, had gonorrhoea. The mean age at the first infection was high, over 28 years. None the less, the onset of gonorrhoea was an early “symptom”. Recorded criminal offence, receipt of public assistance, and conviction for drunkenness usually appeared later. Each individual's risk of contracting gonorrhoea was assessed from tabulated data concerning the gonorrhoea incidence among Malmö women in general, specified by calendar year and age. A total of 53 infections was observed, as against 6.9 expected. The ratio of observed to expected gonorrhoea was not particularly high in the early period of observation. From the twelfth year before, up to one year before, the first compulsory treatment, the ratio increased to roughly fifteen to one. This high ratio remained during the subsequent years. Syphilis was diagnosed in five probands.