According to CDC’s 2023 STI Surveillance report, there were 209,253 cases of syphilis and 3,882 congenital syphilis cases. Notably, there was a 6.8% increase in syphilis among women ages 15-44, highlighting significant implications for congenital syphilis. There are settings where a greater burden of disease is likely, including correctional facilities. According to multiple studies, individuals in these settings have a high prevalence of HIV, STIs, and viral hepatitis in comparison to the general U.S population.
Despite the potentially high prevalence of syphilis in jails and the known importance of offering services in these types of settings, universal opt-out syphilis screening is not a standard practice. Opt-out screening, as recommended by CDC, has demonstrated higher effectiveness than opt-in screening as it allows for testing as an automated component of healthcare services unless an individual declines.
NACCHO provided up to $75,000 to three local health departments to partner with the local women’s jail to evaluate the use of routine opt-out syphilis screening. The goal of the project was to examine:
- Whether routine, opt-out screening in the local jail was an effective intervention in identifying and treating women and other individuals of childbearing capacity with syphilis
- How operationally feasible was it to expand syphilis services/referrals in the local jail setting?
- What barriers and facilitators affected implementation?
- How feasible and successful was the partnership itself?
- To what extent will the partnership be sustained beyond the funding period?
The report, Routine, Opt-Out Syphilis Screening of Women in Local Jails, shares findings from the project.
