Syphilis is increasingly prevalent around the world as a result of complex factors. In Brazil, the government declared a syphilis epidemic in 2016 and then set a strategic agenda to respond to this serious public health problem. In a joint effort, Brazil’s Federal Court of Accounts (TCU) recommended that novel and diversified health communication strategies should be developed, which the “Syphilis No” project (SNP) later conducted through nationwide mass communication campaigns. We performed exploratory data analysis to identify and understand the results of three health communication campaigns by considering syphilis data trends in Brazil. The SNP, by using traditional and innovative means of communication, focused on multiple target audiences to encourage behavior changes through awareness and syphilis knowledge acquisition via the internet. In addition, the SNP disseminated information on syphilis testing, prevention, and treatment through social media and multiple media outlets. We observed that the period of the health campaigns corresponded to the period when the syphilis testing uptake increased and the number of reported cases dropped. Thus, our findings indicate that public health responses could substantially benefit from the use of health communication campaigns as a tool for health promotion, education, and transformation.

Introduction: In Brazil, Health Surveillance (Visa) is a subsystem of the Unified Health System (SUS), where each federated entity has responsibilities established through agreements. Therefore, data and information are fundamental to evaluate, monitor, and manage risks, identifying priorities and the impact of Visa actions. Software support allows to organize the construction of indicators that serve this purpose. Objective: To present the information systems used by the Bahia Health and Environmental Surveillance Directorate (DIVISA/BA) and discuss the alternatives used by the institution to understand, analyze and manage the health risk in its territory, identifying the gaps and overcoming strategies presented. Method: 19 Annual Management Reports (RAG) were analyzed, covering the years between 2002 and 2020. Results: Relevant findings regarding the existence and use of information systems or alternatives used to identify and manage health risk were presented in a timeline. It was observed that DIVISA/BA developed some information systems with limited objects and activities, in addition to using systems made available by Anvisa and DATASUS. Some tools were also used to monitor indicators and goals. Conclusions: Although the development of a national Visa information system is a challenge for Anvisa as national coordinator of the National Health Surveillance System (SNVS), States can organize the available information, whether through systems or alternative solutions, in order to deepen knowledge of the territory, identifying risks that guide health surveillance actions, prioritizing areas that are in fact decisive for the population’s health problems.

Objective: To describe the spatial and temporal distribution of the provision of speech-language therapists in primary health care (PHC) and individual attendances and collective activities in the Expanded Family Health and Primary Care Center (NASF-AB) and the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic in the federation units (FUs) of Brazil between 2016 and 2021. Methods: Ecological study, descriptive, with secondary data, in which rates of speech-language therapists in PHC and individual attendances and collective activities in NASF-AB were calculated. The rates were represented spatially on choropleth maps, with Exploratory Spatial Data Analysis using QGIS software. The evolution of the rate provision between 2019 and 2020 was verified, and a descriptive analysis of types of registered collective activities was carried out. Results: Variability in rates was observed over the years, with higher performances in the FUs of the Northeast and Southeast regions and lower amplitudes in the FUs of the North region. Between 2019 and 2020, there was a national decline in the evolution of rates, accompanied by more significant reductions in Ceará (-16.82%), for the provision of speech-language therapists in PHC; in Acre (-93.99%), for individual attendances; and in Roraima (-97.20%), for collective activities. Group attendance was the predominant collective activity in Brazil, while social mobilization was the least practiced. Conclusion: The results point to discrepancies in the provision of speech-language therapists rates in PHC and individual attendances and collective activities in NASF-AB. Singularities in the distribution of these activities between the FUs were also observed. The pandemic had marked effects on the actions of speech-language therapists operating at NASF-AB.

Background: The evaluation of health technologies is fundamental to the sustainability of the Brazilian National Health System (SUS), especially in highly complex and costly procedures such as computed tomography (CT). Objective: This study analyzed the financial efficiency of CT scanner use in the SUS in the state of Rio Grande do Norte (Brazil), considering the distribution of supply, the profile of providers, and the idle capacity of the public network. Methods: A total of 49,061 CT scan requests registered in the state system “RegulaRN Ambulatorial” between October 2023 and January 2025 were examined. Subsequently, data cleaning and grouping were performed. Results: The results indicated that 66.8% (24,769/37,089) of requests were from patients with cancer, 61.2% (22,703/37,089) were women, predominantly from municipalities with higher population densities, such as Natal and Mossoró, with an average waiting time of 44.86 (SD 88.43) days. More than 36,000 (99%) requests for the examinations were performed by private and philanthropic hospitals contracted by SUS, while public units with CT scanners accounted for less than 1% of production, evidencing significant underutilization. Conclusions: The findings suggest that strategically shifting demand to the public health system can increase efficiency, reduce costs and waiting times, and promote greater equity in access, contributing empirical evidence for more rational public policies on the use of diagnostic technologies.

O presente estudo tem o objetivo de mapear indicadores de avaliação de campanhas de comunicação com foco em saúde, através de uma revisão integrativa da literatura, realizada a partir da busca de artigos científicos nas bases de dados da capes, SciELO e anais da compós. A pesquisa considerou o período entre 2009 e 2019 e utilizou os seguintes descritores: ‘communication’ + ‘indicators’; ‘health campaign’ + ‘sti’; ‘communication’ + ‘aids’; ‘health promotion’ + ‘mass media’ + ‘campaign’. Foram analisados dez artigos científicos, após a aplicação dos filtros, resultando na identificação dos seguintes indicadores: 1) alcance; 2) grp; 3) percepção de campanha; 4) efeito da campanha; 5) compreensão; 6) impacto; 7) efetividade; e 8) aceitabilidade. Dentre os indicadores mapeados, identificaram-se estudos com relatos e avaliações de diferentes tipos de campanhas de comunicação pública voltadas para a promoção da saúde, sendo elas: campanhas de prevenção ao hiv/aids, combate ao tabagismo, conscientização ambiental e contra a proliferação da dengue.

BACKGROUND The evaluation of health technologies is fundamental to the sustainability of the Brazilian National Health System (SUS), especially in highly complex and costly procedures such as computed tomography. OBJECTIVE This study analyzed the financial efficiency of CT scanner use in the SUS in the state of Rio Grande do Norte (Brazil), considering the distribution of supply, the profile of providers, and the idle capacity of the public network. METHODS A total of 49,061 CT scan requests registered in the state system “RegulaRN Ambulatorial” between October 2023 and January 2025 were examined. Subsequently, data cleaning and grouping were performed RESULTS The results indicated that 66.8% of requests were from oncology patients, 61.2% of whom were female, predominantly from municipalities with higher population densities, such as Natal and Mossoró, with an average waiting time of 44 days. More than 99% of the exams were performed by private and philanthropic hospitals contracted by SUS, while public units with CT scanners accounted for less than 1% of production, evidencing significant underutilization. CONCLUSIONS The findings suggest that strategically shifting demand to the public health system can increase efficiency, reduce costs and waiting times, and promote greater equity in access, contributing empirical evidence for more rational public policies on the use of diagnostic technologies. CLINICALTRIAL N/A