Vulnerabilities in snakebites in Sao Paulo, Brazil

Abstract

OBJECTIVE To describe elements of vulnerability of victims of snakebite.METHODS This qualitative, descriptive, cross-sectional study had, as theoretical framework, the concept of vulnerability in individual, social, and programmatic dimensions. We interviewed 21 patients admitted into a hospital specialized in the care of accidents caused by venomous animals. The interviews were analyzed according to a discourse analysis technique.RESULTS Patients were mainly young men, living in remote countryside areas, where health services frequently have limited resources. We found social and individual conditions of vulnerability, such as precarious schooling, low professional qualification, housing without access to piped water, no sewage treated, and no regular garbage collection, and lack of knowledge on this health problem. Regarding the programmatic dimension, we found limited accessibility to the health services that could affect the prognosis and the frequency of sequelae and deaths.CONCLUSIONS Considering such vulnerabilities evoke the need to improve the program for control the Accidents by Venomous Animals and the training of health workers, we highlight the potential use of the concept of vulnerability, which may amplify the understanding and the recommendations for the practice and education related to snakebites.

Avaliação do uso de soros antivenenos na emergência de um hospital público regional de Vitória da Conquista (BA), Brasil

“…The sociodemographic characteristics of the studied population are similar to those of an earlier study, conducted in São Paulo, which showed 10 . Other studies carried out in Goiás 40 , Rio Grande do Norte 41 , Santa Catarina 42 , Minas Gerais 43 , and Amazonas 44 also obtained profiles of envenomation victims, indicating the similarity of these characteristics in the different Brazilian regions.…”

“…In 2016, more than 26,000 cases have been reported 2,4,8,9 . Most Brazilian ophidic envenomations are due to snakebites of the genus Bothrops (approximately 90% of cases reported) and Crotalus 10 .…”

Ethnoherpetology and snakebites in a risk area in Northeast Brazil

“…Snakebite accidents in the surveyed area mainly affect people who work in agricultural activities, as evidenced by the professional profile of the interviewed victims. This reality is not surprising, following a trend registered in other places with a high frequency of snakebites [32,33,34].…”

Relato de acidente fatal causado por Bothrops jararaca (Serpentes: Viperidae) sem alterações hemorrágicas.

“…No Brasil, cerca de 90% dos acidentes por serpentes são causados por serpentes do gênero Bothrops (BERTOLOZZI et al, 2015;BOCHNER;FISZON;MACHADO, 2014). Este gênero compreende 28 espécies no país, sendo que no estado do Rio de Janeiro são encontradas apenas seis espécies (COSTA; BERNILS, 2018).…”