Health-worker barriers to syphilis screening in pregnant women in Bolivia’s Los Andes network

Translated English title: Health-worker barriers to syphilis screening in pregnant women in Bolivia’s Los Andes network<br />Syphilis is a global public health problem with an estimated 12 million people and 1.39 to 2.0 million pregnant women infected each year. This study aims to identify health-worker barriers that keep pregnant women who receive prenatal care from being screened for syphilis. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 46 health care providers and 249 clinical health records of pregnant women were analysed in eight public health facilities in the Los Andes Network, Bolivia. The paper found that syphilis screening is not being done according to Bolivia’s strategy for the elimination of congenital syphilis, and is not done on more than half of pregnant women in prenatal care with perinatal clinical history records.

Tinajeros F, Rey Ares L, Elías V, Reveiz L, Sánchez F, Mejía M et al. Barreras del personal de salud para el tamizaje de sífilis en mujeres embarazadas de la Red Los Andes, Bolivia. Rev Panam Salud Publica. 2017; 41(e21)