Risk factors for syphilis in young women attending a family health program in Vitória, Brazil

Abstract

The high prevalence of STDs among women indicates the need to implement approaching techniques, case detection and prevention of new cases. To describe the frequency of risk factors for syphilis and assess attitudes towards sexual risk in a population of young women in Vitória, ES. Cross-sectional, population-based study, performed in Vitória. Interviews were held and VDRL and MHA-TP were investigated in blood samples. Among the 904 eligible women (18-29 years) sampled from the Family Health Program (FHP), 11 were diagnosed with syphilis, a prevalence of 1.2% (CI95% 0.5-1.9). Median age was 23 years (interquartile range 20-26 years); 65.7% of participants were in high school or college and 85.4% lived with their family or sexual partner. Factors associated with syphilis included: lower educational level (<8 years of schooling) [Adjusted Odds Ratio aOR=4.3 (CI 95% 1.01-17.99)]; >1 lifetime sexual partners [(aOR) =6.50 (CI95% 1.37-30.82)], and history of a previously diagnosed STD [aOR=10.3 (CI95% 2.37-44.33)]. Two thirds (67.7%) of the women surveyed agreed that it is not easy to tell their sexual partner they do not want to have sex without condoms; 52.3% thought it is difficult to use condoms in all sexual intercourses, and 36.2% said they cannot do anything if their partner refuses to use condoms. Using the FHP as an approach to perform routine VDRL can contribute to decreasing the vulnerability of these women and help control congenital syphilis.