Resumo

MANRIQUE A, Fred G et al. Self care practices in pregnant women at risk of contracting Chagas disease in Moniquirá and Miraflores, Colombia. Rev. Fac. Nac. Salud Pública [online]. 2010, vol.28, n.3, pp.230-241. ISSN 0120-386X.

A low level of knowledge, poverty and living with pets are considered as conditioning factors for the transmission of Chagas disease. OBJECTIVE: to describe self-care practices, knowledge and risk factors in a sample of seronegative pregnant women at risk of acquiring Chagas disease in two municipalities with high prevalence: Moniquirá and Miraflores in Boyacá, Colombia. METHODOLOGY: cross-sectional and analytical study based on a sample fulfilled by 154 pregnant women under criteria of inclusion. Data were collected through a structured survey accomplished by means of sequential random sampling. Stratified frequencies and averages were calculated according to their respective measures of dispersion. RESULTS: there are predominance of risk factors associated with staying in the town for more than six months (97%), overcrowding (3,2%), living together with domestic animals (73%) and also with wild ones (90%), presence of potentially reservoir places for insects (61%), and proximity of vegetation around dwellings (78%). Statistically significant differences between the two municipalities were also found. CONCLUSIONS: the population under study has limited knowledge about the disease and its vector and according to significant frequencies, they also neglected basic self-care practices. Nevertheless, they show interest in cooperating with this purpose and acquiring general and specific knowledge and practices about self-care in order to improve protection through preventive measures.

Palavras-chave : Chagas disease; self care; health knowledge; attitudes; health practice; risk factors.

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