As práticas educativas em saúde e a Estratégia Saúde da Família Health education practices and Family Health Strategy

The authors discuss the convergence between health surveillance and socially responsible schools from a health promotion perspective in Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil. The aim of health promotion strategies is to provide the population with the necessary means to improve their health. One of the explanatory paradigms for health surveillance is the social production of health, acknowledging the influence of living conditions on the population's health. The main thrust of schools that promote citizenship is social inclusion, achieved through education by recognizing the needs and possibilities of students and empowering citizens by raising awareness of their rights and duties. The convergence between health surveillance and socially responsible schools is demonstrated in four fields of health promotion: development of personal capacities by providing information and health education to empower people for healthier choices; strengthening of community action for better health; creation of health-friendly public and private environments; and construction of healthy public policies, involving both government and nongovernmental organizations.

Objective: To understand the perception of middle-aged adults regarding health and the aging process. Method: A qualitative study involving 30 adults aged 45 to 59 years old, 15 of whom were female and 15 of whom were male, who answered open questions about their perception of health and aging. Data was analyzed using the thematic content analysis technique. Results: Almost half of the respondents had not finished elementary school and only three had a university degree. A total of 27 were married, five were retired and 25 worked in the service provider sector, 26 were Caucasian, and 27 belonged to social-economic class B. The perception of health was described as being related to taking care of oneself (physical, mental and spiritual welfare), to being active and having the will to live. Regarding aging, the middle-aged persons had already begun to perceive signs of this process such as slowness to perform daily tasks, fatigue, muscle pain, rheumatic pain, a slowing of weight loss, gray hair, impaired vision and hearing, difficulty performing some movements, marks on skin and forgetfulness. Regarding protective actions, the practicing of physical activity, a healthy diet, social and family life and having some sort of occupation were mentioned. The greatest desire was to reach an older age with good health, independence and good living conditions. Conclusion: Although the data of the present study cannot be generalized, it is an important starting point for future research, since the results reveal concerns that can be reduced to support programs of healthy aging.

The aim of this study was to analyze associations between demographic factors, family psychosocial characteristics, tobacco, alcohol, and other drug use, and adolescent motherhood. This was a case-control study in Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil, with 431 adolescents 14 to 16 years of age who gave birth in 2009 (cases) and 862 adolescents who had never given birth (controls). Three-stage hierarchical logistic regression was performed (demographic, family psychosocial, and lifestyle variables). Lower economic class, not having lived with the parents from 10 to 14 years of age (OR = 1.67; 95%CI: 1.12-2.48), having taken care of other children (OR = 1.42; 95%CI: 1.09-1.87), siblings who had children before 20 years of age (OR = 1.56; 95%CI: 1.192.06), having tried smoking (OR = 1.94; 95%CI: 1.35-2.78), and having arrived home intoxicated (OR = 1.67; 95%CI: 1.12-2.48) were associated with adolescent motherhood. Greater attention should be given to family relations in association with tobacco and alcohol consumption, since the use of these substances is associated with adolescent motherhood.

Family psychosocial characteristics, tobacco, alcohol, and other drug use, and teenage pregnancy Características psicossociais familiares e uso de tabaco, álcool e outras drogas relacionadas à gravidez na adolescência Características psicosociales familiares y el uso del tabaco, alcohol y otras drogas relacionadas con el embarazo en la adolescencia

OBJECTIVE:To estimate the prevalence of and factors associated with feelings of discrimination among students. METHODS:Cross-sectional study with a representative sample of 1,170 students from a total of 2,282 students enrolled in the 7th grade of an elementary school of the city of Gravataí, Southern Brazil, in 2005. Participants were selected by conglomerate random sampling. Data were obtained from selfapplied instruments (Global School-based Student Health Survey, Body Shape Questionnaire, socioeconomic classifi cation) that were completed in the classroom. Cox regression, modifi ed for cross-sectional studies, was employed, according to a four-stage hierarchical model. RESULTS:Prevalence of feelings of discrimination was 21.0%. These feelings were more prevalent among: girls (PR=1.93, 95% CI 1.51;2.46); those showing school absenteeism (PR=1.54, 95% CI 1.21;1.97); those who had used tobacco in their lives (PR=1.53, 95% CI 1.18;1.98); those concerned about their body image (PR=1.42, 95% CI 1.07;1.88); those with feelings of loneliness (PR=2.50, 95% CI 1.80;3.46) and sadness (PR=1.29, 95% CI 1.02;1.62); those with sleep diffi culties (PR:1.41, 95% CI 1.08;1.83); those with suicidal ideation (PR=1.45, 95% CI 1.13;1.85) and those who had suffered some type of accidental (PR=1.56, 95% CI 1.23;1.97) or intentional injury (PR=2.04, 95% CI 1.51;2.76). CONCLUSIONS:Feelings of discrimination were associated with sex and experience with tobacco. Its association with psychosocial factors indicates the coexistence of adverse situations, such as dissatisfaction with body image, depressive symptoms and presence of insults. These fi ndings show the importance of health professionals and teachers acting together to identify these feelings early on, and guide and follow adolescents facing such situations.

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This paper investigates factors associated with motherhood among adolescents from 14 to 16 years of age in Porto Alegre, Brazil. This is a case-control study with 431 adolescent mothers (cases) and 862 adolescents who had never given birth (controls). D. ata were obtained through home visits by an interviewer-applied questionnaire. Sociodemographic characteristics, quality of social and family relationships, lifestyle and history of abuse were studied as potential determinants to early adolescent motherhood. Conditional logistic regression was used for data analysis according to a two-stage hierarchical model. Results showed that lower economic class, schooling failure, tobacco consumption, alcoholic drunkenness at least once in life and having a mother who gave birth before 20 years of age were positively associated with early adolescent motherhood. Later menarche and having relatives or having friends in whom to trust remained as protective factors. Schooling failure, which obtained the highest risk, points to the important role of the school in this population’s development and its potential to stimulate healthy life habits.