Syphilis Abstract, Term Paper Example

Since 1990, syphilis-contracted population continued to decline until rates for both primary and secondary syphilis slightly increased in 2001. Sexual activity among gay men has given birth to a new syphilis epidemic. Between 1963 and 2003, men constantly contracted syphilis at higher rates than women. The men-to-women ratio was 3.6 in 1982 but had dropped to 1.2 between 1992 and1997. Afterwards, a sudden jump resulted in the ratio climbing to 5.2 by 2003. The age group contracted to syphilis also increased substantially throughout the years. In the early 1980s, the men age-group most affected by syphilis was 20s but by 1990, the syphilis rate among men in their early 30s had approached the level prevalent among those in their 20s. By 2003, men in their late 30s showed the highest contraction rate while the age-group with the highest syphilis rate among women was early 20s. Among ethnic groups, Black Americans exhibited a spike in syphilis rate between1986 and early 1990s, reaching a peak of 74.1 per 100,000 people before dropping significantly to 8.1 per 100,000 people by 1996. During the same period, the contraction rate among White Americans increased from 1.2 per 100,000 people to 1.5 per 100,000 people. The race-specific ratio between African Americans and White Americans stood at stood at 13.2, 62:1, and 5.2:1during the years 1981, 1993, and 2003, respectively. Syphilis contraction rate among Hispanic Americans is considerably lower than Black Americans and only slightly higher than White Americans. The actual data about Hispanic Americans was unavailable as of this paper’s publication date.