USE OF DATING APPS AND SEXUAL BEHAVIORS ASSOCIATED WITH SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTIONS IN BRAZIL: A SCOPING REVIEW

Introduction: Dating apps have transformed the ways we interact socially and build affective and sexual relationships, enabling quick and anonymous encounters through geolocation. However, these interactions have been associated with risky sexual behaviors, such as multiple partners, inconsistent condom use, and sex under the influence of psychoactive substances (chemsex), increasing vulnerability to Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs), especially among men who have sex with men (MSM). Despite the relevance of the topic, there is a scarcity of national studies that synthesize the available evidence, hindering the understanding of the Brazilian panorama and knowledge gaps. Objective: The objective of this study is to map the relationship between the use of dating apps and sexual behaviors associated with sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in Brazil. Method: A scoping review will be conducted according to the recommendations of Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) and the PRISMA-ScR guidelines (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews The protocol will be registered on the platform Open Science Framework (OSF). The research question will follow the PCC model: Population (users of dating apps), Concept (sexual behavior), and Context (Brazil). The search will be conducted in the LILACS, PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus, and Web of Science databases. Grey literature will include Google Scholar, the CAPES Thesis and Dissertation Catalog, as well as documents from app companies. The methodological steps will include defining the question, selecting, extracting, analyzing, and synthesizing the evidence, with the presentation of the results to support public policies, clinical practices, and future research.