Lenita Barreto Lorena Claro

Prevenção e controle do dengue: uma revisão de estudos sobre conhecimentos, crenças e práticas da população

This article aims to contribute to dengue control programs through a review of recent studies on knowledge, beliefs, and practices concerning dengue and dengue prevention. The results show that adequate knowledge of dengue and prevention methods are found in close association with high rates of domiciliary infestation by Aedes aegypti. This suggests that traditional education strategies, although efficient in transmitting information, have failed to change population behavior. Qualitative studies reveal two important issues that appear to explain these attitudes: representations of dengue and risks associated with mosquitoes and difficulties in avoiding infestation of household water recipients due to sanitation problems in communities.

Demographic and mortality trends in Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 1979 to 1997

An analysis of the 1979-1997 historical series points to demographic and mortality trends in Niterói, Rio de Janeiro State, over the course of those two decades. There was a drop in the rate of population increase, with a significant change in the age structure. In the time series, there was a decline in mortality from cardiovascular diseases and an overall downward trend in mortality from infectious and parasitic diseases, albeit with a sharp increase beginning in 1996 resulting in a change in disease classification (ICD-9 to ICD-10). As for infant mortality, there was a predominance of deaths in the neonatal group. An analysis of major groups of diseases and injuries highlights the importance of ischemic heart disease and cerebrovascular diseases, homicides, traffic accidents, and AIDS.

Redução dos índices de abandono no programa de controle da hanseníase: a experiência de um serviço de saúde no Rio de Janeiro, Brasil

O presente trabalho descreve as estrategias empregadas para a reducao dos indices de abandono no Programa de Controle da Hanseniase em um centro municipal de saude do Rio de Janeiro. Esta reducao, observada no decorrer do ano de 1992, resultou, em parte, do trabalho de equipe multidisciplinar e da aplicacao de estrategias de prevencao do abandono, voltadas para a educacao em saude, e de busca ativa de pacientes irregulares e sem controle. Entre as ultimas, destacou-se a visitacao domiciliar, realizada por um profissional treinado para a atividade, seguida do envio de aerogramas domiciliares.

Pesquisa qualitativa na produção científica do campo da bioética

This article discusses the character and use of qualitative research methods in the field of bioethics. A systematic review of articles published in Latin American countries and selected from the SciELO database was conducted, with special emphasis on articles that employed qualitative research methodology. The set of articles reveals a field of bioethics composed of three distinct vectors. The first refers to the dual characterization of bioethics that can be defined as a social movement or as a discipline; the second differentiates bioethics from other fields of ethics, especially from predominantly deontology-based professional ethics; and the third is related to ethical approaches adopted in the analyses conducted in the research. A relatively insignificant part of these texts result from qualitative research and they can be divided into four categories according to their themes and guidelines: bioethics as a field and/or discourse; training in health; ethics, care, and clinical practice; formulation of health policy. The production shows, on the one hand, a relatively timid approach of social science researchers to the field of bioethics and, on the other hand, little use of qualitative methodologies in research in the field and, in some cases, a certain lack of precision regarding use of the methods.

Uma experiência do uso de narrativas na formação de estudantes de Medicina

Descreve-se uma experiencia didatica de utilizacao da abordagem narrativa com estudantes do terceiro ano do curso medico da Universidade Federal Fluminense. A analise de suas narrativas revelou temas como admiracao pelos pacientes por sua coragem e generosidade; inibicao inicial de aborda-los e receio de incomoda-los; facilidade progressiva para a comunicacao; dificuldades em lidar com seu sofrimento e com a expressao de suas emocoes; compreensao de seus problemas, pontos de vista e experiencias; e estabelecimento de relacoes de amizade e cumplicidade com os pacientes. A proposta pedagogica mostrou-se capaz de ampliar a compreensao dos estudantes sobre o processo de adoecimento e a experiencia da hospitalizacao, aprofundar o vinculo estudante-paciente, facilitar o autoconhecimento, reflexao, desenvolvimento de habilidades empaticas e de comunicacao e da capacidade de identificar e compreender e lidar com as emocoes do outro e com suas proprias emocoes.