Students’ Health Education for Dengue Control

  • Polyana de Oliveira Bittes Terra Centro Universitário do Planalto de Araxá - UNIARAXÁ
  • Sebastiana Luiza Guimarães de Rezende Centro Universitário do Planalto de Araxá - UNIARAXÁ
  • Aline do Carmo França-Botelho Centro Universitário do Planalto de Araxá - UNIARAXÁ
Keywords: Aedes aegypti, Education, Health, Dengue.

Abstract

Dengue is a public health problem especially in tropical areas. Current study assesses the prior knowledge of 573 school children in Araxá MG Brazil with regard to dengue and their increase in knowledge posterior to educational measures. Degree of knowledge was evaluated by distributing a questionnaire before the lectures and another educational questionnaire after one week. Results show that basic knowledge was known by all children who participated in the survey. The level of correct information about dengue was significantly increased after the lectures. Health education should begin in the elementary school, where children respond quickly to educational stimuli. It may be an important dissemination route of preventive measures for dengue and a mechanism for controlling the disease in the community.

Author Biographies

Polyana de Oliveira Bittes Terra, Centro Universitário do Planalto de Araxá - UNIARAXÁ
Bióloga graduada no Instituto de Ciências Saúde do Centro Universitário do Planalto de Araxá - UNIARAXÁ. E-MAIL: msterra@terra.com.br
Sebastiana Luiza Guimarães de Rezende, Centro Universitário do Planalto de Araxá - UNIARAXÁ
Docente Especialista do Instituto de Ciências Saúde no Centro Universitário do Planalto de Araxá – UNIARAXÁ. E-mail: sebastianaluiza@uniaraxa.edu.br
Aline do Carmo França-Botelho, Centro Universitário do Planalto de Araxá - UNIARAXÁ
Docente Doutora do Instituto de Ciências Saúde no Centro Universitário do Planalto de Araxá – UNIARAXÁ. E-mail: alinecfb@terra.com.br
Published
2011-07-08
Section
Artigos Originais