Studies on Syphilis in the Eastern Health District of Baltimore City —III. Study of the Prevalence of Syphilis Based on Specific Age Groups of an Enumerated Population

Abstract

From an enumerated population, all Negroes, aged 20-24 yrs. and 35-39 yrs., an attempt was made to determine the syphilis status of each. From a study of existing records and from examinations made during the course of the study, minimum prevalence rates were established as follows: Ages 20-24, [male][male] 19.7%, [female][female] 31.6%; ages 35-39, [male][male] 33.6%, and [female][female] 40.4%. The rates for single persons were higher than for the married among [female][female] of both age groups. The highest rate recorded was 54.4% among single Negro [female][female] 35 to 39. The rates for [male][male], married and single, were approx. the same within each age group. Persons who had not attended high school had slightly higher rates than those who had. The rates were also slightly higher among those unemployed than among the regularly employed. The rates among skilled and semi-skilled workers were about the same as those among laborers; the servant class in all except the young [male][male] had higher rates than laborers. Taking into account the known syphilis status and the probable syphilis status of those examined and the expected syphilis status of those not examined, the final estimate of prevalence was: Ages 20-24, [male][male] 22.7%, [female][female] 35%; ages 35-39, [male][male] 42.7%, and [female][female] 47.8%.