THE IMPACT OF HEALTH EDUCATION ON SYPHILIS CONTROL IN ADOLESCENCE
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.66104/qfmtnf11Keywords:
Sexually Transmitted Infections, Adolescent Health, Health Education, Syphilis, Public HealthAbstract
Sexually transmitted infections remain a major public health problem, with particular relevance during adolescence, a life stage marked by biological, social, and programmatic vulnerabilities. Among these infections, syphilis continues to show high epidemiological magnitude in Brazil and worldwide, requiring articulated responses involving surveillance, health care, and health education. This is a narrative review with updated epidemiological data and incorporation of recent evidence on prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and sexual education in adolescence. The objective was to analyze how educational strategies can contribute to syphilis control among adolescents. The findings indicate that comprehensive, scientifically grounded, and culturally sensitive educational interventions increase knowledge, correct misconceptions, promote condom use, improve the search for testing, and strengthen decision-making in sexual health. It is concluded that confronting syphilis in adolescence depends on the integration of comprehensive sexuality education, adolescent-friendly health services, timely testing, adequate treatment, and intersectoral participation.
Downloads
References
ABREU, C.; SÁ, L.; SANTOS, P. Adolescents’ knowledge and misconceptions about sexually transmitted infections: a cross-sectional study in middle school students in Portugal. Healthcare, Basel, v. 12, n. 22, art. 2283, 2024. DOI: 10.3390/healthcare12222283. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare12222283
BRASIL. Ministério da Saúde. Protocolo Clínico e Diretrizes Terapêuticas para Atenção Integral às Pessoas com Infecções Sexualmente Transmissíveis (IST). Brasília, DF: Ministério da Saúde, 2022. Disponível em: portal do Governo Federal. Acesso em: 28 mar. 2026.
BRASIL. Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde e Ambiente. Boletim Epidemiológico da Sífilis 2025. Brasília, DF: Ministério da Saúde, 2025. Disponível em: portal do Governo Federal. Acesso em: 28 mar. 2026.
EL-SHERBINY, N. A. et al. The effect of sexually transmitted infections health education on youth knowledge and attitudes: a pre-post interventional study. BMC Public Health, London, v. 25, art. 2991, 2025. DOI: 10.1186/s12889-025-23796-9. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-025-23796-9
FRIEDMAN, J. C.; CANNON, B.; TYSON, N.; KANG, M. Providing adolescent-friendly sexually transmitted infection screening and treatment services. Current Opinion in Obstetrics and Gynecology, Philadelphia, v. 36, n. 5, p. 362-371, 2024. DOI: 10.1097/GCO.0000000000000978. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1097/GCO.0000000000000978
GIL, A. C. Como elaborar projetos de pesquisa. 4. ed. São Paulo: Atlas, 2008.
LAURENTINO, A. C. N. et al. Atenção à saúde dos parceiros sexuais de adolescentes com sífilis gestacional e seus filhos: uma revisão integrativa. Ciência & Saúde Coletiva, Rio de Janeiro, v. 29, n. 5, e12162023, 2024. DOI: 10.1590/1413-81232024295.12162023. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1590/1413-81232024295.12162023
MARCONI, M. A.; LAKATOS, E. M. Metodologia científica. 6. ed. São Paulo: Atlas, 2011.
MINAYO, M. C. S. O desafio do conhecimento: pesquisa qualitativa em saúde. 11. ed. São Paulo: Hucitec, 2008.
PUTRI, Y. H. S.; MARYATI, I.; SOLEHATI, T. Interventions to improve sexual and reproductive health related knowledge and attitudes among the adolescents: scoping review. Risk Management and Healthcare Policy, Auckland, v. 18, p. 105-116, 2025. DOI: 10.2147/RMHP.S490395. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2147/RMHP.S490395
RAMOS JUNIOR, A. N. Persistência da sífilis como desafio para a saúde pública no Brasil: o caminho é fortalecer o SUS, em defesa da democracia e da vida. Cadernos de Saúde Pública, Rio de Janeiro, v. 38, n. 5, e00069022, 2022. DOI: 10.1590/0102-311XES069022. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1590/0102-311xpt069022
RODRÍGUEZ-GARCÍA, A.; BOTELLO-HERMOSA, A.; BORRALLO-RIEGO, A.; GUERRA-MARTÍN, M. D. Effectiveness of comprehensive sexuality education to reduce risk sexual behaviours among adolescents: a systematic review. Sexes, Basel, v. 6, n. 1, art. 6, 2025. DOI: 10.3390/sexes6010006. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/sexes6010006
UNESCO. Comprehensive sexuality education: an overview of the international systematic review evidence. Paris: UNESCO, 2023. Disponível em: portal da UNESCO. Acesso em: 28 mar. 2026.
WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION. Comprehensive sexuality education. Geneva: World Health Organization, 2026. Disponível em: portal da WHO. Acesso em: 28 mar. 2026.
WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION. Syphilis. Geneva: World Health Organization, 2025. Disponível em: portal da WHO. Acesso em: 28 mar. 2026.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Silas Antonio Pereira , André Wilian Lozano , Wagner Rafael da Silva, Sonia Maria Carneiro de Morais Franco, Amanda Oliva Spaziani, Paula Carolina Mariano Carvalho, Raquel Santana Rocha Quadros , Deniz Neves Melo, Emilly Lemos Coutinho , Carolina Andréa Santos , Evellyn Lemos Coutinho, José Vitor Furuya de Lima, Marli dos Santos Rosa Moretti, Vinicius de Lima Lovadini
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Authors who publish in this journal agree to the following terms:
Authors retain copyright and grant the journal the right of first publication, with the work simultaneously licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits the sharing of the work with proper acknowledgment of authorship and initial publication in this journal;
Authors are authorized to enter into separate, additional agreements for the non-exclusive distribution of the version of the work published in this journal (e.g., posting in an institutional repository or publishing it as a book chapter), provided that authorship and initial publication in this journal are properly acknowledged, and that the work is adapted to the template of the respective repository;
Authors are permitted and encouraged to post and distribute their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their personal websites) at any point before or during the editorial process, as this may lead to productive exchanges and increase the impact and citation of the published work (see The Effect of Open Access);
Authors are responsible for correctly providing their personal information, including name, keywords, abstracts, and other relevant data, thereby defining how they wish to be cited. The journal’s editorial board is not responsible for any errors or inconsistencies in these records.
PRIVACY POLICY
The names and email addresses provided to this journal will be used exclusively for the purposes of this publication and will not be made available for any other purpose or to third parties.
Note: All content of the work is the sole responsibility of the author and the advisor.
