Prevenindo doenças infecciosas e parasitárias em escolas de educação infantil da cidade de Cuité - PB.

Abstract

The infectious and parasitic diseases are considered a problem in the Health Public System in Brazil because they present high levels of morbidity and mortality. They affect especially school age children due to their immunologic immaturity and poor hygiene habits, and because they receive integral assistance in nurseries and schools. Emphasizing the need for develop a scientific study about the importance of health promotion by means of educative actions that vise prevention and care, the present study aims to analyze the procedures applied by the teachers of the municipal schools of Early Childhood Education in Cuité-PB in relation to the prevention of infectious and parasitic diseases among the children. It is an exploratory study, with qualitative approach, which was developed by means of bibliographical survey and semi-structured interview. The sample consists of seven teachers of Early Childhood Education of Cuité-PB. Also, the study was based on Content Analysis technique, thematic mode, and the results are presented by means of textual description, from the speech of participant subjects. The results appoint that school is configured as a favorable environment to the transmission of infectious and parasitic diseases due to factors as inadequate personal hygiene, close contact among children and poor hygienic-sanitary conditions. The interviewees mentioned influenza and hepatitis as the infectious diseases that more affect children in preschool age. Furthermore, in relation to parasitic diseases, teachers mentioned the lack of hygiene as the main factor of transmission. When investigating about how teachers have contributed with the prevention practices of infectious and parasitic diseases at school, it is verified the exposition of informative content as the most used action. During the interviews, the teachers specified the actions of the School Health Program, clearly stating that it does not address questions related to the prevention of infectious and parasitic diseases. Given these questions, it is necessary the implantation of actions destined to the prevention of infectious and parasitic diseases. These actions should be approached in schools by the teachers of Early Childhood Education, because children are more exposed to the risk factors in this period. Moreover, children need to acquire knowledge by means of educative actions that promote the sensitization about the improvement in their life quality.