Nurse's Role in Response to the Increase of Syphilis Cases in the Elderly Population
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21727/rpu.v17i1.5079Abstract
Introduction: Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection that has been increasing among the elderly. Nursing plays a crucial role in health education, helping to mitigate this problem. General objective: To analyze the increase in syphilis cases among the elderly population. Specific objectives: To understand the cause of the increase in syphilis cases among the elderly population, to conduct an epidemiological study of syphilis cases in the elderly population, to describe the role of nurses in the prevention of syphilis in the elderly population, and to analyze the elderly population's perception of sexuality and the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. Methodology: This study was characterized by a literature review, with a search for articles in the Latin American and Caribbean Literature in Health Sciences (LILACS) and Nursing Database (BDENF). Results: Through the analysis of the selected articles, it was observed that syphilis has been showing an increasingly higher incidence in the elderly population, which, contrary to social stereotypes, has a largely active sex life. However, the absence of public policies for this group and the difficulty nursing professionals face in approaching them make them more vulnerable to syphilis. Conclusion: It was concluded that the sharp increase in syphilis cases among the elderly is linked to their lack of knowledge about sexually transmitted infections, scarce public policies, and insufficient professional preparation in healthcare. Therefore, there is an urgent need for health education for this group.
Keywords: Nursing; Sexually Transmitted Infections; Elderly Population; Syphilis.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Grazielle Ferreira da Silva de Almeida, Jannaína Sther Leite Godinho Silva, Lilia Marques Simões Rodrigues, Thainá Oliveira Lima, Elaine Pereira Alves, Elisângela do Nascimento Fernandes Gomes
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