Relationship between the Prevalence of Syphilis and COVID-19 in Lubbock County and Texas

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to evaluate the trends in syphilis prevalence in Lubbock County, Texas, from 2018 to 2022 and identify significant changes over time. In addition, it sought to assess the relationship between syphilis trends and the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, comparing local patterns to state-level data. METHODS: Data on COVID-19 cases in Lubbock County and Texas from 2018-2022 were obtained from the City of Lubbock Health Department and the Texas Department of State Health Services. Joinpoint regression analysis was conducted to identify statistically significant changes in the linear trends of the prevalence of syphilis and COVID-19 over time and evaluate disparities in these temporal trends. RESULTS: There were significant changes in the growth of the number of syphilis cases that coincided with increasing trends in COVID-19. The growth in the trend for these two infections was largely parallel. A similar relationship between syphilis and COVID-19 was observed for the state of Texas, although the growth in the trends of syphilis from 2020 to 2022 was higher in Lubbock County than the growth for Texas. CONCLUSIONS: The data indicate a notable relationship between the growth in the prevalence of syphilis and COVID-19 in Lubbock County and Texas from 2018 to 2022, with estimates for Lubbock County being more pronounced than Texas.