Corrections_Today_Winter_2024-2025_Vol.86_No.4

HEALTH CARE

Transformative syphilis screening pilot in correctional facilities A collaborative success story

BY ELIZABETH SAMSON, MA, LMHC, CCHP, CPHQ AND DIANE BARTLETT, CCHP

A ccording to Centers for Disease Control (CDC) surveillance data, from 2017 to 2021, cases of syphilis among the general public increased by 74% and congenital syphilis soared by over 203%. Additionally, the risk of syphilis among individuals who are incarcerated or those with a history of incarceration is one and a half times higher than for those who have never been in jail or prison. Many county jails test for syphilis and other sexually transmitted infections if a patient presents with symptoms or requests testing. That form of testing, known as “opt-in testing” or “passive case detection,” is limited and inadequate because it fails to identify asymptomatic individuals and misses the opportunity to safeguard the health of incarcerated patients and their future sexual partners, as well as creating potential future medical issues for any future children.

Corrections Today | Winter 2024-2025

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