Title: Impact of VD on the fertility of the U.S. black population, 1880-1950.

POPLINE Document Number: 018154

Author(s):

McFalls JA Jr

Source citation:

Social Biology, 1973 Mar;20(1):2-19.

Abstract:

Despite the absence of hard data about venereal disease (VD) and fecundity changes in the black population, it is possible to go beyond speculation and suggestion to areas of circumstantial evidence concerning these variable sand their relationship. The only detailed effort in this direction appears to be the work of Reynolds Farley. In "Growth of the Black Population" (1970), Farley examines variables that might be used to explain the black fertility decline between 1880 and 1936. He concludes that this decrease appeared to be brought about by alterations in health conditions which were unfavorable to fecundity. The principal fertility inhibiting pathologies which Farley studied were pellagra and VD. Farley sees changes in VD prevalence as an important determinant of the fertility decline before the Depression and the following rise in the birthrate. Discussion examines some of the arguments used to support this conclusion and will offer a more conservative interpretation regarding the importance of VD as it relates to the history of the black population. Attention is directed to 3 questions: did VD actually become more prevalent between 1880 and 1935; was the sudden increase in fertility around 1936 preceded by the effective control of VD in the black population; and what was the quantitative physiological impact of VD on black fertility. Farley's effort to show that VD prevalence increased from 6.5% to 25.2% between 1918-40 damages his argument that an increase in VD prevalence was an important determinant in the trend toward lower fertility rates. Almost 80% of the black fertility decline between 1880 and 1936 occurred prior to 1918. In sum, it is difficult to infer from these sources that VD prevalence increased anywhere near 4 fold between 1918-40. A considerably lower figure seems likely. It is unlikely that the quality of treatment before the mid 1940s was at a level which could be expected to substantially reduce the prevalence of syphilis or gonorrhea. Regardless of treatment quality and government programs, the question is how likely were rural and urban blacks to avail themselves of proper treatment. It appears that during the late 1930s and early 1940s the level of public knowledge about such matters as where to receive treatment was unequivocally poor, particularly among blacks. The sudden rise in fertility around 1936 does not appear to have been preceded by the effective control of VD in the black population. Even if the unrealistic assumptions of a zero to 25% syphilis prevalence increase and a zero to 50% gonorrhea prevalence increase are accurate, such increases could account for only about 20% of the observed natality change.

Keywords:

United States
North America
Sexually Transmitted Diseases
Prevalence
Blacks
Ethnic Groups
Fertility Rate
Population Dynamics
Fertility Changes
Treatment
Urban Population
Rural Population
Residence Characteristics
Age Factors
Developed Countries
Americas
Reproductive Tract Infections
Infections
Diseases
Measurement
Research Methodology
Cultural Background
Population Characteristics
Demographic Factors
Population
Birth Rate
Fertility Measurements
Fertility
Population Distribution
Geographic Factors