Social and individual vulnerability factors associated with syphilis among populations living on islands in the Brazilian Amazon

Abstract

Background The repercussions of the syphilis epidemic differ according to populations. Identifying and acknowledging the differences and specificities of populations is fundamental in the design and implementation of policies aimed at assisting the groups most vulnerable to syphilis. Objective To estimate the prevalence of antibodies against Treponema pallidum and associated vulnerability factors among riverside populations of a capital city in the Brazilian Amazon. Methods Cross-sectional study was conducted among residents of the periurban islands in Belém, northern Brazil, from August 2020 to January 2021. The inclusion criterion was being a resident of the riverside communities of the Combú Environmental Protection Area, aged 18 years or over. The participants responded to questionnaire and were tested for syphilis using rapid test. Data were analyzed using multiple logistic regression by Minitab version 20® software. Results Overall, a total of 325 riverine were included. Age varied from 18 to 91 years (average 40 years). Prevalence of markers for syphilis was 5.9% (95% CI: 3.3%-8.4%). The multiple regression showed that as age increases, the chances of having syphilis also increase (p = 0.001; aOR: 1.04) and riverside dwellers with more than one sexual partner in the last 6 months had more than four chances of having syphilis compared to people who had only one sexual partner (p = 0.007; aOR: 4.20). Conclusion Syphilis circulates among traditional populations in the Amazon and is associated with factors of social and individual vulnerability.