Abstract

BERDASQUERA CORCHO, Denis  and  RODRIGUEZ GONZALEZ, Irma Caridad. The family physician and the control of syphilis after an intervention strategy. Rev Cubana Med Gen Integr [online]. 2006, vol.22, n.3. ISSN 0864-2125.

An experimental study with historical control before and after the intervention was conducted from May to August, 2003.The universe was composed of 39 family physicians working in the offices of the municipality. The family physicians have had difficulties to treat sexually transmitted diseases for some years, and as a result the indicators of the Syphilis Control Program have not been fulfilled. That's why, it was decided to intervene and to undertake a study first to determine the level of knowledge of the municipality physicians as regards syphilis control, and to apply further an intervention to reduce the deficiencies found. Only 43.6 % of the physicians had satisfactory evaluations before the intervention. The right answers amounted to 94.6 % after putting the strategy into practice. The greatest deficiencies were observed in the control of the functions and objectives of the program, in the clinical and laboratory diagnosis, in the surveillance and risk groups, in the clinical diagnosis and treatment, as well as in the actions of health education and syphilis severity. The level of knowledge about the program was not satisfactory in most of the surveyed before the intervention. The strategy used proved to be efficient since the physicians obtain a more reliable knowledge in relation to the control of syphilis in their community, which may favor a better control of the patients suffering from it in the municipality.

Keywords : Family physicians; syphilis; knowledge; intervention.