Trends in sexually transmitted disease incidence in Papua New Guinea.

A retrospective study of gonorrhoea and syphilis from Health Department records was carried out in Papua New Guinea. During the ten-year period (1974-1983) 101,636 new cases of gonorrhoea and 34,422 of syphilis were reported among the general population of Papua New Guinea. The incidence of both sexually transmitted disease have significantly (P less than 0.005) increased over the decade despite the introduction and implementation of the National Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) Control Programme. Some which contribute to the present increase in sexually transmitted diseases are segregation of health and non-health services, insufficient staff training and increased immigration to urban centres.