Spatial analysis as a tool for identification of priority intervention areas for syphilis prevention

Abstract The spatial analysis of syphilis constitutes a tool capable of contributing to the establishment of guidelines for action in priority geographic areas for preventive intervention. The scope of the article was to describe the scientific evidence that used geoprocessing as a tool to identify risk areas for syphilis. This is an integrative review of the literature, carried out in the Medline/PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Lilacs, Ibecs, Cochrane Library Portal, SciELO, Cuiden and Bdenf databases through cross-referencing between the key words “syphilis,” “spatial analysis,” “geographical information system,” “health education” and “geographical mapping.” A total of 13 articles were analyzed and in most of them syphilis cases were distributed in a heterogeneous manner, not obeying a unique epidemiological profile in relation to the units of analysis. Discordant ecological and spatial effects between syphilis and HIV and the viability of the integrated screening of syphilis with other diseases was revealed. Efficacy and ability of spatial analysis to target specific educational interventions for each reality were revealed, avoiding investment in geographically non-priority areas for syphilis control.