SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTIONS IN THE PUBLIC HEALTH SYSTEM: A LITERATURE REVIEW

Abstract

The study aims to analyze the existing literature on sexually transmitted infections in the public health system. This is an integrative literature review. It was based on data from Latin American and Caribbean Literature on Health Sciences (LILACS) and the Nursing Database (BDENF) via the Virtual Health Library (VHL) with the guiding question: "What does the literature address about sexually transmitted infections in the public system?". The following descriptors were used: "Health care", "Sexually transmitted infections" and "Public health", as inclusion criteria were considered: full text, Portuguese, Spanish and English language, that portrayed the theme under study, published in the years 2012 to 2022, and as exclusion criteria: duplicate texts, incomplete and that did not focus on the exposed theme. The descriptors were crossed through the Boolean operator "AND" for simultaneous search of the subjects. Risk assessment can guide the tracking of STIs, and, in the specific case of diagnosed people, it is essential to call and treat sexual partners, which aims to interrupt the chain of transmission. We conclude that Sexually Transmitted Infections are difficult to estimate, whether on a global or national level, due to the problems faced in the registration of these infections in the health secretariat systems. They can generate great impacts both in the population and in other cases.