High prevalence of syphilis in a female prison unit in Northeastern Brazil

Objective To determine the prevalence of syphilis and the associated risk factors in a female prison unit. Methods This was a cross-sectional study including 113 women whom data were collected in two stages: first, blood test to check for syphilis seropositivity; and then collection of information through a form to assess risk situations for sexually transmitted infections. Results Overall, syphilis prevalence was found to be 22.1% among the female prison population (n=25) and 28.6% among pregnant women. A statistically significant relationship was found between syphilis infection and previous history of sexually transmitted infections (p=0.04). However, most participants diagnosed with the disease were unaware of a history of sexually transmitted infection in the last 12 months (n=20/80.0%). The use of condom with fixed partners was considered to be a protective factor (odds ratio of 0.76; 95% of confidence interval 0.68-0.85). Conclusion The prevalence of syphilis among the female prison population was high, particularly among pregnant women. Preventive and therapeutic measures as well as appropriate prenatal care can minimize the impact of syphilis in prison systems and, consequently, improve such health outcomes nationwide.