Objective:

to investigate self-reported counseling practice of primary health care (PHC) professionals on sexually transmitted infections (STI) and HIV/AIDS in Montes Claros, MG, Brazil, 2015-2016.

Methods:

this was a cross-sectional study using a questionnaire answered by PHC physicians and nurses; their practice was classified as being adequate/inadequate based on the recommendations of Ministry of Health manuals; four thematic areas were investigated - counseling provision; prevention measures; risk behavior and vulnerability assessment; serological testing.

Results:

146 professionals participated (41.1% physicians; 58.9% nurses); only 25.7% of professionals reported adequate practices; the area with the highest proportion of inadequate self-reported practice was ‘risk behavior and vulnerability assessment’ (69.9%); physicians overall practice was more likely to be appropriate than that of nurses (OR=3.48 - 95%CI 1.57;7.70), especially for ‘serological testing’.

Conclusion:

self-reported STI and HIV/AIDS counseling practices in PHC were found to be inadequate, revealing the need to intensify health professional awareness-raising/training.

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