MANAGEMENT OF RAPID SYPHILIS TESTING IN THE SÃO BORJA HEALTH NETWORK

Abstract

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are a major burden of morbidity and mortality and, worldwide, millions of STI cases occur every year, such as syphilis. The delay in diagnosis is one of the factors that justifies the difficulty in controlling these infections. The rapid diagnostic tests allow the etiological treatment to be established at the first consultation, which leads to more patients, both symptomatic and asymptomatic, being treated more effectively and interrupting, without delay, the epidemiological chain of transmission. WHO includes these tests in its globais strategy against STIs and, therefore, this research work seeks to assess the impact of the implementation of PR within the health area of San Borja in the diagnosis, promotion and prevention of syphilis. It aims to analyze the factors that influence the implementation and performance of the PR, discover potentialities and fragilities in the dynamics of the performance of the PR, verify the quantitative of the examinations performed and their main results in the period between 2014 and 2018 to finally perform the flowchart of the care provided to patients with the conclusions. The methodology was qualitative and quantitative, a descriptive and cross-sectional study of empirical nature. Some of the results were that the patients surveyed were mostly women 62.5% and men 37.5%. Being that the age that most attended was between 25 and 39 years old. The results of the nurse surveys showed that 92% were nurses and 8% were male nurses, most of them young. A total of 14 nurses (56%) said that they have difficulty in performing the rapid tests due to the accumulation of tasks. Finally, it was found that there is adequate infrastructure and sufficient supplies in the health units to perform the RP and that the treatment is free of charge.