Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #118009

Marangellie Trujillo, Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Baltimore City Health Department, 210 Guilford 3rd floor, HCDP Division, Baltimore, MD 21202, 410-396-4448, marangellie.trujillo@baltimorecity.gov, Rosa Gonzalez, MSN, MPH, School of Nursing & Health Studies, University of Miami, 5801 Red Road, Miami, FL 33124, Glen Olthoff, STD, Baltimore City Health Department, 5408 Silver Hill Rd, Suite 4100, Forestville, MD 20747, and Pierre Vigilance, MD, MPH, Baltimore City Health Department, Division of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, Assistant Commissioner, 1700 E. Cold Spring Lane, Baltimore, MD 21251.

OBJECTIVE: In the United States, syphilis rates began to decline in 1991, however, the rate for Hispanic has increased 20% (from 1.5 in 1998 to 1.8 in 1999). Since the beginning of the year 2004, Baltimore City has experienced a 200% increase on early syphilis cases among Hispanics. We report our experience with this outbreak and describe the innovative approaches that were developed to target the Hispanic population in Baltimore City. The risk factors in addition to sexual partners and practices were studied.

METHODS: A Syphilis Elimination Project that followed the PRECEDE model was developed to increase the number of outreach staff that conducted screening, testing, and counseling within the Hispanic community. Spot maps were used to identify the areas of the city where outreach activities would be more productive. Epidemiological data was collected to evaluate this initiative.

RESULTS: Our efforts demonstrated statistically significant increases in syphilis knowledge within the Baltimore City Hispanic community as well as increases in the number of individuals screened and tested for syphilis. This increase helped us to identify newly early syphilis cases within the community and to assess the risk factors that were associated with them.

CONCLUSIONS: This initiative could be used to implement an effective, culturally appropriate framework to address similar syphilis outbreaks within the Hispanic community.

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