Descriptive Study of Sexually Transmitted Diseases in Tarrant County, Texas from 1998 to 2000

McGrath, Christine J., Descriptive Study of Sexually Transmitted Diseases in Tarrant County, Texas from 1998 to 2000. Master of Public Health, Epidemiology track, December 2001, 21 p.p., 3 tables, 1 illustration, references, 14 titles. Incidence rates of STDs in Tarrant County, Texas from 1998 to 2000 were assessed and compared with the rates in Texas and the United States, focusing on similarities and differences in gender, age and race/ethnicity. Data were obtained from the Tarrant County Public Health Department, the Texas Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The rates for gonorrhea and syphilis in Tarrant County were significantly higher than rates in Texas and the United States. The largest disparity was found among Blacks, followed by Hispanics and then Whites, with those ages 15 to 24 years at the greatest risk. To increase awareness and reduce the burden of STDs, prevention programs need to be developed.