ANÁLISE EPIDEMIOLÓGICA DOS CASOS DE SÍFILIS ADQUIRIDA NA POPULAÇÃO MASCULINA: DESAFIOS PARA A ESTRATÉGIA SAÚDE DA FAMÍLIA

Abstract

Syphilis has been known since the 15th century, has been described for over 100 years, and remains a serious public health problem worldwide. The incidence of syphilis cases in Brazil can be classified as endemic, given the consistently high number of cases. Among the male population, syphilis presents a significant challenge, both in terms of its magnitude and the difficulties in addressing it within this specific group. This study aims to analyze the epidemiology of acquired syphilis cases in the male population. A quantitative study was conducted, using secondary data collected from acquired syphilis investigation forms in 2022 and from case follow-up reports, fed by data from electronic medical records. The data of interest included occupation, previous infection treatment, sexual orientation, age, race/ethnicity, education level, and current syphilis classification. Among the 653 cases analyzed, it was found that the prevalence of cases in men who have sex with men (MSM) was 44.5%, compared to 35.2% recorded in the heterosexual population. It was observed that 37.3% of the cases occurred in individuals aged 29 years or younger, and most diagnoses were classified as latent, with 71.5% of these cases receiving adequate treatment. Regarding race, white men led with 46.7% of the cases, followed by mixed-race men with 35.9%. In terms of education, the prevalence was observed among those with incomplete high school (22.6%), followed by those with completed higher education (15.3%). Different epidemiological characteristics were identified between MSM and heterosexual men. For MSM, there is a higher proportion of individuals with incomplete high school education and aged between 30 and 39 years, while among heterosexual men, there are more individuals with less than a complete elementary education and aged 40 years or older. These differences suggest the need for specific intervention strategies for each group, as there is an epidemiological difference in acquired syphilis in the male population, concerning education level and age, according to self-reported sexual orientation, requiring distinct actions from health teams, especially in the Family Health Strategy, for screening, diagnosis, and treatment.