SYPHILIS: A PEDAGOGICAL APPROACH FOR ADOLESCENTS IN THE 1ST YEAR OF HIGH SCHOOL IN A PRIVATE SCHOOL IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF SÃO LOURENÇO DA MATA – PE

Abstract

Syphilis, a predominantly sexually transmitted infection, is a significant public health problem in Brazil. When not diagnosed and treated early, it can evolve, leading to serious health complications. Given this alarming reality, this research adopted a quantitative, descriptive, and exploratory approach to deepen the understanding of this problem. The problem investigated was centered on the number of syphilis cases in the municipality of São Lourenço da Mata - PE, in parallel with the lack of educational and preventive campaigns. Thus, an educational intervention was proposed aimed at students in the 1st year of high school at the Centro Educacional Balão Mágico school, to inform, prevent, and raise awareness about syphilis, training them as multipliers of information in their communities. The methodology applied involved a lecture covering everything from the structure of the Treponema pallidum bacterium to the methods of diagnosis and treatment of syphilis, contextualizing the epidemiological situation of the disease in Brazil, Pernambuco, and the municipality. The lecture was designed to stimulate post-event discussions among students, promoting critical reflection and fostering an informed approach to sexual health within the school environment. The results highlighted the importance of the school in the role of informing, preventing, and raising awareness among young people about public health issues. Concluding that more interventions and educational projects aimed at health are needed, aiming to mitigate problems such as syphilis, which are crucial for the quality of life of individuals, as well as the need for the school to integrate itself as a vehicle for communication, guidance and prevention of these problems.