Prevalence and evolution of cases of sexually transmitted infections in adolescents in Brazil

Abstract

In Brazil, more and more, adolescents are affected by STIs. Therefore, the objective of this research is to present the prevalence and evolution of cases of sexually transmitted infections in adolescents in Brazil. This is an observational epidemiological study with a quantitative approach and descriptive analysis on data related to the prevalence of STI in adolescents aged 10 to 19 years between 2010 and 2021 in Brazil. Data were extracted from DATASUS electronic databases. In this period, there were 86,601 cases of syphilis, mainly between 15 and 19 years old, with a higher prevalence in incomplete high school and brown race, and 56.17% were female, with the most affected region being the southeast (50.53%). Regarding hepatitis B, there was a prevalence in females with 56.17%, with the most affected region in the north with 39.58%, especially between 15 and 19 years with 92.17%, and higher prevalence in incomplete high school (19.53%) and in the race ver parda (51.26%). There were 10,129 cases of AIDS, mainly in the age group of 15 to 19 years with 89.81% and in the brown race with 31.53%, 59.98% were male, with the most affected region being the southeast with 36.2%, among them 25.52% with incomplete elementary education. The study concluded that measures are needed that tend to decrease the prevalence of STIs in adolescents in Brazil. Therefore, it is important to carry out campaigns, especially in schools, in order to spread this information to reach our target audience, which are adolescents from 10 to 19 years old.