Salus Platform: A Digital Health Solution Tool for Managing Syphilis Cases in Brazil—A Comparative Analysis

Talita Brito (), Thaísa Lima, Aliete Cunha-Oliveira, André Noronha, Cintia Brito, Fernando Farias, Sedir Morais, Jailton Paiva, Cintia Honorato, Paulo Queirós, Sagrario Gómez-Cantarino, Márcia Lucena and Ricardo Valentim
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Talita Brito: Laboratory of Technological Innovation in Health, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal 59072-970, Brazil
Thaísa Lima: Laboratory of Technological Innovation in Health, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal 59072-970, Brazil
Aliete Cunha-Oliveira: Health Sciences Research Unit: Nursing (UICISA: E), Coimbra Nursing School (ESEnfC), 3004-011 Coimbra, Portugal
André Noronha: Laboratory of Technological Innovation in Health, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal 59072-970, Brazil
Cintia Brito: Laboratory of Technological Innovation in Health, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal 59072-970, Brazil
Fernando Farias: Laboratory of Technological Innovation in Health, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal 59072-970, Brazil
Sedir Morais: Laboratory of Technological Innovation in Health, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal 59072-970, Brazil
Jailton Paiva: Laboratory of Technological Innovation in Health, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal 59072-970, Brazil
Cintia Honorato: Laboratory of Technological Innovation in Health, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal 59072-970, Brazil
Paulo Queirós: Health Sciences Research Unit: Nursing (UICISA: E), Coimbra Nursing School (ESEnfC), 3004-011 Coimbra, Portugal
Sagrario Gómez-Cantarino: Health Sciences Research Unit: Nursing (UICISA: E), Coimbra Nursing School (ESEnfC), 3004-011 Coimbra, Portugal
Márcia Lucena: Department of Informatics and Applied Mathematics (DIMAP), Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal 59078-900, Brazil
Ricardo Valentim: Laboratory of Technological Innovation in Health, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal 59072-970, Brazil

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 7, 1-17

Abstract: (1) Introduction: Syphilis is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) that constitutes a serious public health problem in Brazil and worldwide; (2) Methods: This was a descriptive and exploratory study that sought to analyze and compare the characteristics of Brazilian health systems with a new platform (Salus) developed by the Laboratory of Technological Innovation in Health in the scope of notification and management of disease data, including syphilis. In addition, this analysis aimed to assess whether Salus fully meets the necessary data management fields and can be indicated as a tool to improve health management in the context of syphilis in Brazil. (3) Results: In this study, the Salus functionalities were demonstrated and compared with the current Brazilian systems by discovering the existing gaps in the evaluated systems. The gaps found may explain the delay in meeting demands, the difficulty of making routine therapeutic follow-ups, in addition to interference with the vital purpose of follow-up in the epidemiological surveillance of diseases. As a result, Salus demonstrates functionalities that surpass all others and meet case management demands in a superior way to the systems currently used in the country. (4) Conclusions: The Brazilian health information systems related to the response to syphilis do not fulfill the purpose for which they were developed. Instead, they contribute to the fragmentation of health data and information, delays in diagnosis, incomplete case management, and loss of data due to inconsistencies and inadequate reporting. In addition, they are systems without interconnection, which do not articulate epidemiological surveillance actions with primary health care. All these factors may be obscuring accurate data on syphilis in Brazil, resulting in high and unnecessary public spending and late care for users of the Unified Health System (SUS).

Keywords: Salus; acquired syphilis; maternal syphilis; congenital syphilis; information system; primary attention; sexual infection; epidemiological monitoring (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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