Health education, public information, and communication in schistosomiasis control in Brazil: a brief retrospective and perspectives

Abstract

In recent years, the strategy for the control of schistosomiasis has placed increased emphasis on the role of health education, public information, and communication. This should, not only bring about specific changes in behavior aiming at disease prevention, but also stimulate participation of the community in health programs. Beyond this, it is desirable that both community members and researchers should seek better life conditions through a transformative social action. The present paper addresses these concerns; first, by critically reviewing some health education programs that were developed in Brazil, and, secondly, by analyzing and suggesting ways to improve this area.

Information and education in schistosomiasis control: an analysis of the situation in the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil

“…Althought it is necessary improve and amplify the health education programs, it is urgent to think in the more appropriate ways and strategies to do that. Education cannot be limited to the principal target public, i.e., the population under risk of falling ill, but should include all the social players involved in the network of transmission, as pointed out in previous articles (Schall 1987(Schall , 1989(Schall , 1994(Schall , 1995(Schall , 1996(Schall , 1998. One needs to intensify dialog with local authorities, health technicians and the population in general.…”

Evaluation of a pamphlet on visceral leishmaniasis as a tool for providing disease information to healthcare professionals and laypersons

“…Pamphlets are generally valuable informative tools and are useful for disease control programs, but they should be used within the context of a continuing educa- tional process. For example, an appropriate combination of information and entertainment can increase awareness, which may in turn lead to the creation of alternative solutions and reevaluation of decision-making processes, thereby shedding light on previously overlooked factors 14 . In order to generate effective changes and strengthen control measures, health and educational measures should adhere to well-defined criteria.…”

An interactive perspective of health education for the tropical disease control: the schistosomiasis case

“…According to the three literature reviews made by Huang and Manderson (1992), Kloos (1995) and Schall (1995) on the topic of health education research and/or programs on social and economic aspects related to schistosomiasis, very little research has been carried out on these subjects. The majority of the studies performed, mainly in Africa, Asia and Brazil, suggested the demand of integration between the social and educational dimension in research and/or programs of schistosomiasis control.…”

“…These features yielded considerable variations in the epidemiology of schistosomiasis (Huang & Manderson 1992). In addition, up to a certain point, the paradigm of epidemiology becomes insufficient and calls for methodologies used in social and human sciences, as was reported by Huang and Manderson (1992), Kloos (1995) and Schall (1995). Since the 80s, the knowledge of peculiar factors related to schistosomiasis has been discussed through the study of economic, social and behavioral variables of the disease.…”

“…In Brazil, people from rural endemic areas showed disbelief in the clinical explanations that a tiny worm could penetrate the body through the skin and even when accepting this hypothesis, most people kept the belief that the worm could also be swallowed with drinking water. As a result, families felt protected by avoiding drinking water directly from streams but were stepping continuously into contaminated water, were being continually reinfected (Schall 1995, Rozemberg 1995, Barbosa 1996. There is also the fact that shistosomiasis is considered a minor disease by many communities when compared with poverty, starvation and lack of basic needs such as schools, electricity, roads and employment (Kloos 1995).…”