Avaliação do conhecimento, atitudes e práticas sobre dengue no Município de Pedro Canário, Estado do Espírito Santo, Brasil, 2009: um perfil ainda atual

Verena Maria Mendes de Souza; Juliano Leônidas Hoffmann; Maxwell Marchito Freitas; Jonas Lotufo Brant; Wildo Navegantes de Araújo

doi:10.5123/S2176-62232012000100006

Authors

Verena Maria Mendes de Souza Programa de Treinamento em Epidemiologia Aplicada aos Serviços do Sistema Único de Saúde/SVS/MS, Brasília, Distrito Federal, Brasil
Juliano Leônidas Hoffmann Secretaria Estadual de Saúde do Espírito Santo, Vitória, Espírito Santo, Brasil
Maxwell Marchito Freitas Secretaria Estadual de Saúde do Espírito Santo, Vitória, Espírito Santo, Brasil
Jonas Lotufo Brant Programa de Treinamento em Epidemiologia Aplicada aos Serviços do Sistema Único de Saúde/SVS/MS, Brasília, Distrito Federal, Brasil
Wildo Navegantes de Araújo Programa de Treinamento em Epidemiologia Aplicada aos Serviços do Sistema Único de Saúde/SVS/MS, Brasília, Distrito Federal, Brasil. Faculdade UnB Ceilândia, Universidade de Brasília, Distrito Federal, Brasil

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5123/S2176-62232012000100006

Keywords:

Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice, Dengue, Disease Outbreaks, Aedes, Vector Control

Abstract

ABSTRACT

In January 2009, the Municipality of Pedro Canário, Espírito Santos State, Brazil, requested official aid from the Ministry of Health to investigate an outbreak of leptospirosis. The investigation informed that it was actually an outbreak of dengue. In order to guide preventive and controlling measures, a descriptive study on the knowledge, attitudes and practices of the adult inhabitants in two districts of the Municipality was conducted. About 80% of the interviewees know what dengue is, and 70% reported they take some action to prevent infection and that they believe prevention is the society's responsibility. Potential breeding sites of Aedes aegypti were identified in approximately 10% of the houses of interviewees who said they were aware of how to prevent dengue. The inhabitants are aware and well-informed about the seriousness of the disease, its signs and symptoms, the preventive actions to be taken, and their responsibility in controlling the vector. Nevertheless, the knowledge and attitudes reported do not correspond to their actual preventive actions against the disease.