The Lessons of Belle Glade
Authors: Robert M. Swenson
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (1992)

Editorials15 February 1992The Lessons of Belle GladeRobert M. Swenson, MDRobert M. Swenson, MDSearch for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-116-4-343 SectionsAboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail ExcerptThe article by Grey (1) in this issue ofAnnalsdocuments the striking similarities between two epidemics that occurred in Belle Glade, Florida, some 40 years apart. The first was a syphilis epidemic among migrant workers during the 1940s. The high rates of venereal disease were associated with extreme poverty, prostitution, alcohol abuse, sexual promiscuity, and lack of access to health care. The federal government was able to alter these conditions and control the epidemic. However, these efforts soon lapsed and 40 years later the conditions among migrant workers remain remarkably similar to those seen in 1940. These conditions have...References1. Grey M. Syphilis and AIDS in Belle Glade, Florida, 1942 and 1992. Ann Intern Med. 1992;116:329-34. LinkGoogle Scholar2. AralHolmes SK. Sexually transmitted diseases in the AIDS era. Sci Am. 1991;Feb 62-69. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. McKeown T. The Modern Rise of Population. New York: Academic Press; 1976. Google Scholar4. McKeown T. The Role of Medicine. Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton University Press; 1979. Google Scholar5. Fuchs V. Who Shall Live. New York: Basic Books; 1974. Google Scholar6. Fahs M. The economic consequences of inaction. In: Imminent Peril: Public Health in a Declining Economy. New York: The Twentieth Century Fund Press; 1991:65-80. Google Scholar7. Primary and secondary syphilis-United States, 1981-1991. MMWR. 1991;40:314-25. MedlineGoogle Scholar8. RiederCauthenKellyBlochSnyder HGGAD. Tuberculosis in the United States. JAMA. 1989;262:385-9. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar9. McCordFreeman CH. Excess mortality in Harlem. N Engl J Med. 1990;322:173-7. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar10. BlendonRogers RD. Cutting medical costs Primum Non Nocere. JAMA. 1983;250:1880-5. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar11. Wilkinson R. Socio-economic differences in mortality: interpreting the data on their size and trends. In: Wilkinson RG, ed. Class and Health. London: Tavistock Publications Ltd.; 1986:1-20. Google Scholar12. McKeown T. The Role of Medicine. Princeton: Princeton University Press; 1979:198. Google Scholar13. Rogers D. Thoughts on the future of medicine. Bull NY Acad Med. 1989;65:851-858. MedlineGoogle Scholar14. ConradKern PR ed. The Sociology of Health and Illness. New York: St. Martins Press; 1981:535-76. Google Scholar This content is PDF only. To continue reading please click on the PDF icon. Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: Temple University Health Sciences Center Philadelphia, PA 19140 PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Metrics Cited byApplication of the Theory of Gender and Power to Examine HIV-Related Exposures, Risk Factors, and Effective Interventions for WomenThe Social Context of Syphilis Persistence in the Southeastern United StatesInteractions among HIV, Other Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Socioeconomic Status, and Poverty in Women 15 February 1992Volume 116, Issue 4Page: 343-344KeywordsAlcoholismHealth careSexually transmitted diseasesSyphilis Issue Published: 15 February 1992 PDF downloadLoading ...