Prevenção do HPV – O papel da educação e da vacinação na promoção da saúde: uma revisão da literatura

Abstract

Introduction: Human Papillomavirus (HPV) is a widely disseminated infectious agent associated with the development of genital warts and several types of cancer, such as cervical, anal, oropharyngeal, and penile cancer. Despite the availability of the free vaccine in Brazil through the National Immunization Program, vaccination coverage remains below the targets recommended by the World Health Organization (80%), especially among boys and in socioeconomically vulnerable regions. Objective: To analyze, through a systematic review, the importance of health education and HPV vaccination as key strategies for preventing infection and promoting public health in Brazil. Methodology: A systematic literature review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines. Searches were carried out in the PubMed, SciELO, and Virtual Health Library databases using DeCS and MeSH descriptors related to HPV, vaccination, and public health, combined with Boolean operators. Articles published between 2020 and 2025 in Portuguese, English, or Spanish were included. Results and Conclusion: A total of 12 articles meeting the inclusion criteria were analyzed. The results highlight low HPV vaccination coverage in Brazil, influenced by barriers such as lack of knowledge, vaccine hesitancy, fake news, and logistical difficulties. Educational strategies, school-based vaccination, multichannel campaigns, and social media monitoring proved effective in increasing adherence. Integration between the health and education sectors and clear communication with families are essential to achieving global targets for eliminating cervical cancer by 2050. The implementation of continuous and intersectoral actions is urgent to expand immunization and reduce the clinical impacts of HPV infection.