[Perceptions of social actors about the care delivered by the optical laboratory in the primary school health care program (PROASE) in the municipality of Ribeirao Preto]. / Percepções dos atores sociais sobre o atendimento prestado pelo laboratório óptico do programa de assistência primária de saúde escolar (PROASE) no município de Ribeirão Preto.

This study aimed at evaluating the care delivered by the Optical Laboratory of the Program of Primary Care to Schoolchildren (PROASE) according to the perceptions of relatives and teachers of children who had acquired glasses from 1991 to 1995 in the municipality of Ribeirão Preto. The content analysis technique was used for data analysis and, in order to observe the meanings shown in the qualitative material, the thematic analysis technique was utilized. It was concluded that that the social actors showed a positive attitude concerning the importance of the program and clearly expressed that PROASE has given relevant contribution to the health of schoolchildren.

[The meaning of sexuality for adolescents living in the streets of Goiania]. / A sexualidade para o adolescente em situação de rua em Goiânia.

This study aimed at reflecting on the sexuality for adolescents living on the street, based on their point of view. Authors used a qualitative approach in order to identify general aspects related to the sexuality of adolescents living on the street in Goiânia. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and participant observation. Results showed that these adolescents consider the sexuality reduced to the sexual act, and that even on the streets they are not deprived of it. Also, the prevention is a practically non-existent attitude in their daily life. Thus, authors pointed out the importance of nurses commitment to that group through health education and promotion.

[Importance of oral health for adolescents from different social levels in the municipality of Ribeirao Preto]. / A importância da saúde bucal para adolescentes de diferentes estratos sociais do município de Ribeirão Preto.

The objective of the present study is to know the importance of buccal health for adolescents of different social strata, identifying the importance of dental aesthetics, and the care that these students take in relation to their buccal health. The methodological process adopted in this investigation is of qualitative nature, using as technique of collection of data the semistructured interview. We know the importance of buccal health in several contexts of their lives, as in their personal appearance, sexuality, employment, and general health. This investigation allows us to know the motivations of adolescents to preserve their buccal health, and we believe to be so valid to develop health promotion through health education.

[In search of a definition of current guidelines for outlining studies on children's and school-age adolescents' health]. / Em busca da definição de pautas atuais para o delineamento de estudos sobre a saúde da criança e do adolescente em idade escolar.

This work is a reflection of the search for a definition of current guidelines for outlining studies on the assistance to the child's and school-age adolescent's health based on current literature and on the discussion among professionals in the fields of Health and Education. The guidelines: Assistance to the child's and school-age adolescent's health; Education, Health and Society--current historical transformation; Health, Education and Life Conditions lead to the following questions: how to promote the child's and school-age adolescent's health within the principles of the Unified Health System (SUS) and how to deal with issues such as Health and Education in an inter-sectorial, multi-professional and interdisciplinary fashion by taking into account the New National Curricular Standards? In the conclusion, actions are proposed to eradicate the idea that students are at fault in relation to school failure as well as to change the vision based on current concepts and standings by considering all the changes that have taken place in the field of education with the new Law of Bases and Directives and the recent introduction and application of the New National Curricular Standards.

[Perception of health for obese adolescents]. / A percepção de saúde para adolescentes obesos.

This work aims at learning about the perception of health of overweight adolescents participating in the Multidisciplinary Program of Assistance to Overweight Adolescents developed in the Campus of Ribeirão Preto (University of São Paulo). The qualitative approach based on Minayo (1994) was adopted. Data were collected from sentences and compositions done by 17 adolescents, who were participating in the program. The theme of the compositions and sentences were: "What being healthy means?". Data analysis and interpretation was done based on the thematic analysis technique proposed by Bardin (1976). Through this analysis, the following meaning units were identified: "health is beauty", "diet and hygiene" and "practice of sports". Therefore, the study showed that the ideal body image adolescents want for themselves is related to the beauty standards established by the media and to the stereotypes of physical perfection. Another aspect detected by the study was that adolescents are aware of the need of practicing sports and having a balanced diet.

[The school health program in the municipality of Ribeirao Preto]. / O programa de saúde escolar no município de Ribeirão Preto.

The present article reports on the trajectory of the Primary School Health Care Program (PROASE) at the municipality of Ribeirão Preto and describes some reflections about this proposal.

[An exploratory study of the opinions of mothers about the health of children under 5 years old]. / Estudo exploratório de opiniões de màes sobre a saúde das crianças menores de 5 anos.

This study presents opinions of mothers about aspects of children health, 0-59 months, living in suburbs of the city of Ribeirão Preto, using home interviews. Several social-economic characteristics of this population were noted, especially the concerns of mothers related to: childhood disease, general care of their children, distribution of milk tickets, immunisation, children's growth and development process. Mothers' opinions present concerns about diseases, signs and symptoms, mothers' care, criteria for inclusion-exclusion in the Programme of Food Supplementation and aspects about the utilization of the immunisation in the Local Basic Health Unit, offering several elements which can contribute to a reflection on the care given to children at the basic level of health services in the city of Ribeirão Preto.

[Program of primary care in school health. Historical report]. / Programa de asistencia primaria de salud escolar. Relato historico.

The authors by means of this work report on the history of the Primary Health Care Program for School Children That was initiated in the 1980s in the city of Ribeirão Preto, Brazil.

[A survey of the knowledge and contact with drugs in the community of firstgraders in public and private schools in Ribeirão Preto]. / Levantamiento del conocimiento y del contacto con drogas en la comunidad de alumnos de 1er, grado de enseñanza pública y privada en Ribeirão Preto.

This study refers to an essay concerning knowledge and contact with drugs among students, first grade, in private and public schools in the city of Ribeirão Preto, in different social layers. Looking for a better understanding of our data, we decided to work in this empirical survey with the concept of social stratum: a group of person with determined measurable features in common, that is, common status and that can be defined by distinct criteria. Schools were sorted according to the kind of student they had: after, schools were divided in four groups and we drew lots of each school. We used a questionnaire to collect data with opened and closed questions. According to data obtained we concluded that all students, no matter what socio-economic level, have a superficial knowledge about the subject: 48.2% said they knew people addicted to drugs in their neighbourhood; 8.8% of the children said they had offerings of drugs and the drugs were: cocaine, marijuana, haxixe, cigarettes and toxic pencil; and 63% of the remaining group said they never had an orientation related to drugs.

Vitamin A status of young children in Southern Brazil.

A comprehensive survey was carried out to assess the vitamin A status of preschool children of poor migrant families in the periurban population of Ribeirao Preto, a typical agricultural town in the sugarcane and coffee region of the State of Sao Paulo in Southern Brazil. The intake of vitamin A and carotenoids from the rice and bean based diet of these children is considered low and appears to influence blood concentrations and liver reserves of this vitamin. With respect to plasma vitamin A, 1.8% of the children had a deficient level (less than 10 micrograms%), whereas 48.8% of the children had a low level (less than 20 micrograms%). Most children with inadequate plasma vitamin A (less than 20 micrograms%) responded positively to a massive dose of 200,000 IU vitamin A, suggesting that these children may be at risk of having low liver stores of vitamin A. Rose Bengal staining test and rapid dark adaptation time did not indicate definite signs of conjunctival xerosis and night blindness among these children. No ocular evidence of hypovitaminosis A was found in the children studied, but marginal or inadequate vitamin A status appears to be a common public health problem among young children in this region of Brazil.