[Situations related to drug misuse in public schools in the city of São Paulo, Brazil].
OBJECTIVE
To explore situations, attitudes and behavior of public elementary school education supervisors concerning psychoactive substance misuse.


METHODS
The study was carried out in the city of São Paulo, Southeastern Brazil, in 2002. Data were collected using a semi-structured questionnaire applied to eight key informants in the administrative area experienced in education supervision. Qualitative content analysis with ethnographic reference was conducted.


RESULTS
Most discourses show that knowledge transmission is thought as essential for drug use prevention, though supervisors reported being ill-informed on this subject. The most frequent attitudes toward drug users are impotence and inability to act and sometimes a repressive attitude. These are motivated by misinformation and fear due to mistaken association of drug users and criminals. In situations indirectly related to drug abuse (family and behavior problems) more understanding and inclusive attitudes are reported, following the harm reduction paradigm.


CONCLUSIONS
Theoretical capacity building of educators for preventive attitudes would support their skills developed through dealing with situations (in)directly related to drug abuse in schools. Thus, educators would feel more confident to make interventions for harm or risk reduction among drug users.
Moreira
Fernanda Gonçalves
FG
Programa de Orientação e Atendimento a Dependentes, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. femor@terra.com.br
Silveira
Dartiu Xavier da
DX
Andreoli
Sérgio Baxter
SB
D000288:Administrative Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D000293:Adolescent; D001938:Brazil; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006266:Health Education; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D017150:Public Sector; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012574:Schools; D012917:Social Adjustment; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology*