U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion

Reduce the syphilis rate in men who have sex with men — STI‑05 Data Methodology and Measurement

On this page:  About the National Data  |  Methodology  |  History

About the National Data

Data

Data Source:  National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System (NNDSS), CDC/CSELS

Baseline: 419.0 cases of primary and secondary syphilis per 100,000 men who have sex with men were reported in 2018

Target: 392.0 per 100,000

Numerator
Number of reported cases of primary and secondary syphilis among men who have sex with men.
Denominator
Estimated number of men who have sex with men.
Target-setting method
Maintain consistency with national programs, regulations, policies, or laws
Target-setting method justification
The target was selected to align with the 2030 target presented in the STI National Strategic Plan (STI Plan) for the indicator " Reduce P&S syphilis in MSM by 5% by 2025 and 15% by 2030." The STI Plan Indicators subcommittee, in consultation with HHS leadership, set quantitative targets to reduce the rising rates of STIs as a public health threat by 2030. The approach to setting the annual target for all indicators that monitor disease rates (e.g., rates of P&S syphilis) accounted for initial ramping up efforts, which would be slower. Thus, decreases in STI rates are expected to become more pronounced as the plan is implemented.

Methodology

Methodology notes

Rates of reported P&S syphilis are measured using nationally notifiable STD surveillance data, collected and compiled from reports sent by the STD control programs and health departments in all 50 states and, the District of Columbia. Sex of sex partners in the past 12 months is obtained through patient and provider investigations for persons reported with primary and secondary syphilis at the local level. Men reported with syphilis are categorized into: men who have sex with women only (MSW); men who have sex with men (MSM), including men who have sex with men and women; and men without information on sex of sex partners. Denominators are the estimated number of MSM in the state/DC; estimates are based on a published estimation formula, which uses data from census estimates and national surveys. Denominators are available by race/ethnicity and by age (in specific age groups).

History

Comparable HP2020 objective
Modified, which includes core objectives that are continuing from Healthy People 2020 but underwent a change in measurement.
Changes between HP2020 and HP2030
This objective differs from the Healthy People 2020 objective STD-7.2 in that the Healthy People 2030 objective targets a subgroup of men (MSM) that was not included in the Healthy People 2020 population template
Revision History
Revised. 

The baseline was updated from 2017 to 2018 and the target was revised from maintain the baseline to maintain consistency with national programs, regulations, policies or laws in order to align the objective with the STI National Strategic Plan (STI Plan) in 2021.