[Syphilis in parturients: aspects related to the sex partner]. / Sífilis em parturientes: aspectos relacionados ao parceiro sexual.

PURPOSES: To analyze the sociodemographic and behavioral profile of sex partners, the proportion of those inadequately treated as well as to verify how many of them were inadequately treated and why some were not treated. METHODS: Quantitative study with data collected from May to October, 2008 at five public maternities in Fortaleza, Ceará. A survey was carried out with parturients who were hospitalized with syphilis and had a stable sex partner. We analyzed sociodemographic variables and those related to communication, diagnosis and treatment of sex partners. The data were entered into the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences and were analyzed using frequency distributions, measures of central tendency and dispersion. RESULTS: The study included 56 pregnant women. Most sexual partners were young adults aged on average 29 years, 50% of them had studied for less than seven years, 82.1 worked and 46.4% had a family income of less than a minimum wage. Of all the partners, 92.9% were the child's father and 69.6% lived with the women. Fifty percent and 12% were alcohol and drug users, respectively. Most partners (75.0%) were told about the diagnosis by the women, and in 78.6% of cases they were aware of the VDRL result before or during the prenatal period. However, 25.0% of the women did not communicate the result to their partners for the following reasons: not knowing the importance of the partner's treatment (50.0%), not being together after the diagnosis (42.9%) and having a quarrel (7.1%). Of the partners who were informed about the result before or during the prenatal period, 56.0% were treated and six (42.8%) were considered to have been properly treated. Among the ones who did not receive treatment, 63.6% refused it because they did not feel sick, because they did not believe in the treatment and because they were afraid of injections. CONCLUSIONS: Partners are told about the syphilis diagnosis of the pregnant women; however, only a few are properly treated.

Sífilis em parturientes: aspectos relacionados ao parceiro sexual / Syphilis in parturients: aspects related to the sex partner

OBJETIVOS: Analisar o perfil sociodemográfico e comportamental dos parceiros sexuais, a proporção daqueles inadequadamente tratados e os motivos da não realização do tratamento. MÉTODOS: Estudo quantitativo cuja coleta de dados ocorreu de maio a outubro de 2008, em cinco maternidades públicas de Fortaleza, Ceará. Foram aplicados questionários às parturientes internadas com sífilis que informaram ter parceiro sexual fixo. Foram analisadas as variáveis sociodemográficas e as relacionadas à comunicação, diagnóstico e tratamento dos parceiros sexuais. Os dados foram digitados no programa Statistical Package for the Social Sciences e foram analisados por meio de distribuições de frequências, de medidas de tendência central e de dispersão. RESULTADOS: Participaram do estudo 56 parturientes. Os parceiros sexuais tinham média de idade de 29 anos, menos de 7 anos de estudo (50%), atividade laboral (82,1%), renda familiar inferior a 1 salário-mínimo (6,4%). Eram o pai da criança 92,9 e 69,6% moravam com a parturiente. Faziam uso de álcool e drogas 50 e 12%, respectivamente. Foram comunicados do diagnóstico 75,0% parceiros, a comunicação foi feita pela própria mulher em 78,6% casos e ficaram sabendo do resultado do exame de VDRL antes ou durante o pré-natal, 59,5%. Não revelaram o diagnóstico 25,0% mulheres e os motivos alegados foram: desconhecer a importância do tratamento do parceiro (50,0%), não ter estado com este parceiro após o diagnóstico (42,9%) e estar brigada (7,1%). Dos que souberam do diagnóstico antes ou durante o pré-natal, 56,0% foram tratados e 6 (42,8%) foram considerados adequadamente tratados. Dentre os que não receberam tratamento, 63,6% se recusaram por não se sentir doentes, não acreditar no tratamento e medo de injeção. CONCLUSÕES: Os parceiros são comunicados do diagnóstico de sífilis da gestante; entretanto, poucos são adequadamente tratados.

PURPOSES: To analyze the sociodemographic and behavioral profile of sex partners, the proportion of those inadequately treated as well as to verify how many of them were inadequately treated and why some were not treated. METHODS: Quantitative study with data collected from May to October, 2008 at five public maternities in Fortaleza, Ceará. A survey was carried out with parturients who were hospitalized with syphilis and had a stable sex partner. We analyzed sociodemographic variables and those related to communication, diagnosis and treatment of sex partners. The data were entered into the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences and were analyzed using frequency distributions, measures of central tendency and dispersion. RESULTS: The study included 56 pregnant women. Most sexual partners were young adults aged on average 29 years, 50% of them had studied for less than seven years, 82.1 worked and 46.4% had a family income of less than a minimum wage. Of all the partners, 92.9% were the child's father and 69.6% lived with the women. Fifty percent and 12% were alcohol and drug users, respectively. Most partners (75.0%) were told about the diagnosis by the women, and in 78.6% of cases they were aware of the VDRL result before or during the prenatal period. However, 25.0% of the women did not communicate the result to their partners for the following reasons: not knowing the importance of the partner's treatment (50.0%), not being together after the diagnosis (42.9%) and having a quarrel (7.1%). Of the partners who were informed about the result before or during the prenatal period, 56.0% were treated and six (42.8%) were considered to have been properly treated. Among the ones who did not receive treatment, 63.6% refused it because they did not feel sick, because they did not believe in the treatment and because they were afraid of injections. CONCLUSIONS: Partners are told about the syphilis diagnosis of the pregnant women; however, only a few are properly treated.

Perfil sociodemográfico e obstétrico de puérperas assistidas no município de Iguatu - CE / Sociodemographic and obstetric profile from pregnant women assisted in Iguatu-CE

Objetivo: Avaliar o perfil sociodemográfico e obstétrico de puéperas assistidas no município de Iguatu-CE, Brasil. Métodos: Trata-se de um estudo descritivo com abordagem quantitativa, cuja amostra contemplou 178 puérperas residentes no município em estudo. Realizou-se a coleta de dados em uma maternidade de atendimento público, no período de agosto a setembro de 2008, por meio de entrevista. As variáveis foram submetidas à análise univariada dos dados pelo programa estatístico SPSS 11.0. Resultados: As puérperas apresentaram média de idade de 23,8 anos; 100 (56,2%) eram da zona urbana; 36 (20,27%) eram solteiras; 109 (61,2%) realizavam atividades do lar sem remuneração; 110 (62,3%) iniciaram o pré-natal no primeiro trimestre; 20 (11,2%) fumaram e 6 (3,4%) ingeriram bebidas alcoólicas durante a gestação. Quarenta e nove (28,2) participaram de alguma atividade educativa, 166 (96,6%) realizaram o exame VDRL e 108 (62,1%) realizaram o anti-HIV no pré-natal. Conclusão: O perfil sociodemográfico da população avaliada pode ser caracterizado por puérperas jovens, com alguma escolaridade, casadas ou em união estável e com renda familiar entre um e dois salários mínimos, que realizaram quantidade satisfatória de consultas pré-natais, tiveram acesso a exames complementares e a garantia da assistência ao parto em hospital municipal de referência.

Objective: To evaluate the sociodemographic and obstetric profile of puerperae assisted in Iguatu-CE, Brazil. Methods: This is a descriptive study with quantitative approach. The sample consisted of 178 postpartum women living in the city under study. Data collection was conducted in a public maternity care in the city, from August to September 2008, through interviews. The data were analyzed by SPSS 11.0. The variables were subjected to univariate analysis. Results: The mean age was 23.8 years, 100 (56.2%) were from urban areas, 36 (20.2%) were single, 109 (61.2%) of the household activities performed without pay, 110 (62.3%) began prenatal care in first quarter, 20 (11.2%) smoked and 6 (3.4%) drank alcohol during pregnancy, 49 (28.2%) participated in some educational activity, 166 (96.6%) were VDRL the first and 108 (62.1%) had anti-HIV during prenatal. Conclusion: The sociodemographic profile of the studied population can be characterized by young puerperae with some schooling, married or in stable relationships and family income between one and two minimum salaries, which made satisfactory amount of prenatal visits, had access to exams and had guarantee of delivery care in the public hospital of reference.

[Epidemiology of gestational syphilis in Fortaleza, Ceará State, Brazil: an uncontrolled disease]. / Epidemiologia da sífilis gestacional em Fortaleza, Ceará, Brasil: um agravo sem controle.

This cross-sectional study investigated the epidemiological profile of pregnant women with positive VDRL in Fortaleza, Ceará State, Brazil, in 2008. The study verified the proportion of pregnant women with syphilis that was classified as treated incorrectly according to Brazilian Ministry of Health guidelines, and assessed the reasons for inadequate treatment. Fifty-eight women who had given birth at five public maternity hospitals were interviewed consecutively following delivery. Data were also recovered from medical files and pregnancy cards. Sociodemographic and obstetric data and information related to the diagnosis and treatment of syphilis in both pregnant women and their partners were analyzed. Only three (5.2%; 95%CI: 1.8%-14.1%) pregnant women had received adequate treatment. The main reason for inadequate treatment was lack of partner treatment (88% of cases; 95%CI: 76.2%-94.4%). Medical care as currently provided does not guarantee the control of gestational syphilis in this sample.

Epidemiologia da sífilis gestacional em Fortaleza, Ceará, Brasil: um agravo sem controle / Epidemiology of gestational syphilis in Fortaleza, Ceará State, Brazil: an uncontrolled disease

O objetivo deste estudo transversal foi conhecer o perfil epidemiológico das gestantes com VDRL reagente, em Fortaleza, Ceará, Brasil, no ano de 2008. Foi verificado o percentual das gestantes com sífilis que foram consideradas inadequadamente tratadas e os motivos da inadequação, de acordo com as normas do Ministério da Saúde. Foram entrevistadas 58 gestantes no pós-parto imediato, internadas em cinco maternidades públicas do município, e consultadas as informações do prontuário e do cartão das gestantes. Foram avaliados dados sociodemográficos, obstétricos e variáveis relacionadas ao diagnóstico e tratamento da gestante e do parceiro. Apenas três (5,2 por cento; IC95 por cento: 1,8 por cento-14,1 por cento) gestantes foram consideradas adequadamente tratadas. O principal motivo da inadequação do tratamento foi a falta ou inadequação do tratamento do parceiro (88 por cento dos casos; IC95 por cento: 76,2 por cento-94,4 por cento). Foi possível constatar a necessidade de um segundo VDRL no terceiro trimestre de gestação. Os dados evidenciaram que o atendimento recebido pela gestante não foi suficiente para garantir o controle da sífilis congênita.

This cross-sectional study investigated the epidemiological profile of pregnant women with positive VDRL in Fortaleza, Ceará State, Brazil, in 2008. The study verified the proportion of pregnant women with syphilis that was classified as treated incorrectly according to Brazilian Ministry of Health guidelines, and assessed the reasons for inadequate treatment. Fifty-eight women who had given birth at five public maternity hospitals were interviewed consecutively following delivery. Data were also recovered from medical files and pregnancy cards. Sociodemographic and obstetric data and information related to the diagnosis and treatment of syphilis in both pregnant women and their partners were analyzed. Only three (5.2 percent; 95 percentCI: 1.8 percent-14.1 percent) pregnant women had received adequate treatment. The main reason for inadequate treatment was lack of partner treatment (88 percent of cases; 95 percentCI: 76.2 percent-94.4 percent). Medical care as currently provided does not guarantee the control of gestational syphilis in this sample.