[Health education in 1st grade public schools at the periphery of Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil. I. Evaluation of the program relative to schistosomiasis].
A project has been developed with the objective of implanting and testing new materials and methodologies related to health education in first level schools. The present study is being performed in 4 public schools of a periferic area of Belo Horizonte, in two regions, one of high and another of low prevalence of schistosomiasis. The experimental design includes 2 experimental schools and 2 of control. The procedure involves interviews with teachers and students before and after the experimental test of the new materials; stool surveys and treatment of the sample of students. The results of the first interviews demonstrated that the knowledge of schistosomiasis is almost absent among teachers and students, although the prevalence of this disease has been maintained for a long time (70 years) in one of the regions studied (Gorduras). Out of 3131 students of the 4 schools, 67.5% were examined and 235 (11.0%) were tested positively. When the new students of 1989 were not included the prevalence decrease to 9.0% demonstrating a significative difference (X2 - 5%) in relation to 1988, showing the consequence of the treatment performed. Comparing the 2 schools of high prevalence, the decrease of prevalence of the experimental one is higher than the control. Therefore, in relation to the schools of low prevalence, the same has not happened. Thus, it is only possible to suggest an initial effect of the educative strategy and the decreases of the prevalence in the schools of high prevalence. In relation to the knowledge about the disease transmission, the students from the experimental schools presented a significative increase of correct answers in 1989 than the control ones.
Schall
V T
VT
Departamento de Biologia, IOC, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil.
Dias
A G
AG
Malaquias
M L
ML
Dos Santos
M G
MG
D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D011897:Random Allocation; D012494:Sampling Studies; D012499:Sanitation; D012552:Schistosomiasis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013334:Students; D013383:Suburban Population
Educação em saúde em escolas públicas de 1. grau da periferia de Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil. I - Avaliação de um programa relativo à esquistossomose.