involving the faith community

in syphilis elimination

department of health and human services

centers for disease control and prevention

A community-based effort to eliminate syphilis in the United States.

We’ve made great progress against this terrible disease,

but there’s much more work to be done. The time to act

is NOW -- while syphilis rates remain relatively low. By

detecting and treating syphilis early, we can make our

communities healthier now and in the future. Educating

congregants about preventing and treating diseases

like syphilis is an important community health issue.

Syphilis is preventable and treatable. Its spread 

can be stopped. Syphilis prevention methods 

(or strategies) can include abstinence, monogamy, 

i.e., being faithful to a single sex partner, or 

using condoms consistently and correctly. These

approaches can avoid risk (abstinence) or effectively reduce risk for syphilis (monogamy, consistent and correct condom use). [NOTE: These 

messages may not all be appropriate for people 

of all faiths or religious backgrounds; only you, 

as a religious leader, can decide which messages

can be effectively and appropriately delivered 

and which might be offensive or inappropriate 

for your congregation.] 

Syphilis can be passed from mother to baby, leading

to health complications and even infant death.

Syphilis progresses in stages and can lead to 

cardiovascular and neurological diseases and

blindness over a period of time.

Only a blood test and an exam by a health care

provider can confirm whether someone has syphilis.

Syphilis increases the chance of HIV transmission

by 2-5 times.

see a better future.

By working together through the Syphilis Elimination

Effort (SEE) to eliminate syphilis NOW, we can:

Reduce a glaring racial disparity in our nation’s

overall health

Decrease the spread of HIV

Improve infant health (by reducing the risk of

mother-to-child transmission of syphilis)

Strengthen our public health system, which is

more important than ever for our nation’s health

and well-being

Reduce health care costs

see yourself in action.

For more information about SEE and how you can 

get involved, visit www.cdc.gov/std/see/.
today: diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, and 

sexually transmitted diseases. Each of these is a battle 

to be waged, and some can be won. Syphilis elimination 

is one battle that we can win today .

the time to see is now.

U.S. syphilis rates reached their lowest levels ever in 2000

but have since been on the rise. Syphilis rates increased

slightly in 2001 and more substantially in 2002. Between

2002 and 2003, the reported rate of primary and secondary (P&S) syphilis increased 4.6 percent. P&S syphilis

rates among men rose 13.5 percent, while decreasing

among women by 27.3 percent. Because syphilis tends

to rebound in 7- to 10-year cycles, we must seize this

opportunity to eliminate syphilis now, while rates are

still relatively low. 

The Syphilis Elimination Effort (SEE) is a national 

initiative bringing health care providers, policy makers,

and religious and community

leaders together to drive down

syphilis rates in the United States.

SEE is part of the National Plan to

Eliminate Syphilis, developed by

the Centers for Disease Control

and Prevention (CDC) and its 

federal, state, and local partners. The goals of the nationwide effort are to reduce the number of P&S syphilis

cases to less than 1,000 (0.4 cases/100,000 people), and

to make at least 90 percent of U.S. counties—including

ours— syphilis-free. 

African Americans and Latinos are disproportionately

affected by syphilis. In 2003, the rate of P&S syphilis was 

5.2 times greater among African Americans (7.8 cases/

100,000 people) and two times greater among Hispanics

(3 cases/100,000 people), than among whites (1.5 cases/

100,000 people). In 2003, the rate of congenital syphilis

(syphilis passed from mother to child) among African

Americans was 33.9 cases/100,000 live births, compared

to 1.3 cases/100,000 live births for white Americans.

The rate of congenital syphilis was 14 times higher

among Hispanic infants (18.1 cases/100,000 live births)

compared to non-Hispanic whites (1.3 cases/100,000

live births). Getting rid of syphilis in the United States

will be an important step in improving 

the overall health of our communities 

and the health of generations to come. 

how can my faith 

organization get involved?

Your faith organization can play an 

important role in eliminating syphilis. 

You can educate your members about the disease 

and inspire them to have a healthier life and to 

protect future generations from putting themselves 

at risk for syphilis. 

Here are some ways to help:

Start a health ministry and raise awareness 

about all health issues affecting your members,

including syphilis.

Invite a community leader, policy maker, or a guest

speaker involved with syphilis elimination to speak

during a health ministry event.

Get involved in a community coalition with other

community leaders, health care providers, and

policy makers to work on SEE. 

There are numerous examples of religious leaders 

who have successfully reached their congregants with

health promotion messages. One such example is the

Balm in Gilead (http://www.balmingilead.org/about/

welcome.asp). [PLEASE NOTE: Web sites to non-federal

organizations are provided solely as a service to our

users. The inclusion of these resources does not constitute an endorsement of these organizations or their

programs by the CDC or the federal government, and

none should be inferred. The CDC is not responsible

for the content of the individual organization Web

pages found at these links.]

In the face of a disease that is 100 percent preventable

and treatable, faith organizations can provide important prevention education and help to those who may

be affected. While we may have wished for years that

it would just go away, we actually have a chance right

now to make it so.

let’s see together.

Syphilis is a sexually transmitted disease that is concentrated in a small number of counties in the United

States – most of them urban or in the South. In 2003, 

18 counties and one city accounted for half of reported

syphilis cases in this country. Your community is one of

these, and it is important to know that members of

your congregation may be at risk.

Syphilis can affect anyone. Race or ethnicity is not a risk

factor, but some communities are hit harder by the 

disease than others. Syphilis disproportionately affects

African-American and Latino communities. It has been

cited as one of the most glaring examples of existing

gaps in minority health status. With increased awareness,

appropriate diagnostic treatment, and changes in risk

behaviors, this health disparity can be largely removed. 

see what’s possible.

The faith community has had to take on many issues 

to help raise awareness and educate congregations

about serious issues that disproportionately affect

different populations.

Because of the tremendous respect and credibility the

faith community generates, it has the ability to mobilize

the masses and disseminate appropriate information.

As the community’s center for hope, religious life, and

information, faith organizations can bring public health

issues to light and move members to seek help if it is

needed. There are many health issues facing congregants