Os fatores associados às práticas das famílias nos cuidados com a proteção dos reservatórios de água para uso doméstico e a prevenção da dengue em Sobral-Ceará

Abstract

Dengue’s establishment in a community is determined by the interaction between men, mosquitoes and the economic, social and cultural conditions an the area. Permanent in-home water storage is among the conditions that favor dengue’s continued presence. Identifying the factors that affect the care of these storage containers may allow for better-targeted dengue prevention programs. This study aimed to elucidate these factors though a transversal quantitative study using household interviews. The study took place in Sobral, Ceará, Brazil with a study population of 2,288 families whose households were found to be positive for A. aegypti larva in the first two cycles of 2003. From this population a statistically representative sample of 329 households was chosen. Only the household caretaker was interviewed in each case. Demographically, 79.4% of those interviewed were women, 56.1% were married, and the majority of respondents (67.4%) were between the ages of 20 and 59 years of age though 21.8% were over the age of 60 and 68.9% did not finish elementary education. There was an average density of 4.4 people per household. Economically, 86.3% of the homes had one or more people employed and 65.1% of the households reported a monthly income of at least three minimum salaries. Seventy-five percent owned their home, there was no significant difference between home ownership and covered caixas-d’água (% 2, p=0.34). Over 99% of the households had access to running water, though only 52.4% had access twenty-four hours a day and 47.6% reported a lack of water during some period. Approximately 99% of all homes store water in some capacity for domestic use and 87.7% have at least three vessels. There was no statistical difference between the number of vessels in a home and income (%2, p=0.66) nor was there between the number of years of schooling and coverage of water containers (p=0.87). The most common reason for not covering water containers was ‘lack of money’ (34.6%) and the same proportion of people also reported they did not feel it is necessary to cover the containers. Almost 47% did not know how dengue is transmitted though 80.7% knew that covering water deposits prevented mosquito reproduction. A significant difference was found between knowledge of the mosquito life cycle and the number of years of schooling (% 2, p=0.001). For 83.9% of those interviewed the main source of information on dengue prevention is the sanitarian. The social and economic conditions found in the investigated sample do not contribute to the permanence of A. aegypti breeding grounds in the domestic environment. Covering in-home water vessels to prevent the dengue mosquito from laying eggs is an activity that requires a healthy attitude and practice. The best way achieve this is through life experience and the Services offered by the health system.