THE ROLE OF NURSES IN PREVENTING CERVICAL CANCER: CHALLENGES IN PRIMARY CARE

Abstract

Cervical cancer is a serious public health problem in Brazil, associated with high incidence and mortality rates, especially among women of reproductive age and in more vulnerable regions. Given this scenario, the role of nurses in primary health care (PHC) becomes essential for promoting women's health through prevention, screening, and health education. The general objective of this study is to analyze the role of nurses in preventing cervical cancer, focusing on the challenges faced and the strategies used in PHC. The research adopts a qualitative exploratory approach, through an Integrative Literature Review (ILR). The data were collected from the LILACS, BDENF and MEDLINE databases, using descriptors such as “Nursing”, “Uterine Cervical Neoplasms”, “Disease Prevention” and “Primary Health Care”, combined by the Boolean operators “AND” and “OR”. “The inclusion criteria are: articles published in Portuguese, with full text available free of charge, in the last ten years, that address the role of nurses in the prevention of cervical cancer. The exclusion criteria include: repeated studies between databases, incomplete publications, or those that are not directly related to the proposed theme. Data analysis was performed using the content analysis technique, categorizing the main findings according to the study objectives. The studies revealed that nurses play an essential role in the prevention of cervical cancer, especially through health education and cytopathological examination. However, barriers such as low adherence, misinformation and limitations in services still persist. It is concluded that it is necessary to invest in professional training and strategies that expand access and promote effective screening in primary care.