Análisis estructural de las representaciones sociales del noviazgo entre adolescentes / Structural analysis of social representations about dating between adolescents

OBJETIVO: identificar la estructura y organización de las representaciones sociales sobre el noviazgo construidas por las adolescentes que se reconocen en este contexto. MÉTODO: investigación descriptiva fundamentada por la Teoría del Núcleo Central de las representaciones sociales. Se aplicó la prueba de asociación libre de palabras con 106 adolescentes femeninas del municipio de Río de Janeiro/Brasil. Las evocaciones fueron procesadas por el software - EVOC, que generó un cuadro correspondiente a la probable estructura de la representación. RESULTADOS: El núcleo central fue integrado por los elementos: amor, beso y sexo. El sistema periférico se constituye en mayor frecuencia por: amistad, felicidad, traición, matrimonio, comprensión y lealtad. CONCLUSIÓN: Los sentimientos de amor y confianza en la pareja fomentan una percepción de salud sexual libre de riesgos, lo que significa que el noviazgo tiene una representación predominantemente afectiva y, por lo tanto, el uso de métodos de barrera para las infecciones de transmisión sexual está infravalorado

OBJECTIVE: to identify the structure and organization of social representations about dating built by the adolescents who are recognized in this context. METHOD: this is a descriptive research, based on the Central Core Theory of social representations. A free word association test was applied with 106 female adolescents of the city of Rio de Janeiro / Brazil. Software- EVOC processed the evocations, generating a chart corresponding to the probable representation structure. RESULTS: The central nucleus was composed of the elements of love, kiss and sex. The peripheral system is more frequently characterized by: friendship, happiness, betrayal, marriage, understanding and loyalty. CONCLUSION: Feelings of love and trust in the couple foster a sense of risk-free sexual health, which means that they have a predominantly affective representation and, therefore, the use of barrier methods for sexually transmitted infections is undervalued

Information from teachers on viral hepatitis transmission and prevention in Brazil.

OBJECTIVE: To assess school teachers' level of knowledge on prevention of viral hepatitis (VH). MATERIAL AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in three cities of Brazil, from August to November of 1999. The sample was composed of 360 subjects: 334 women and 26 men, 81 (22.5%) from Belém, 123 (34.2%) from Natal and 156 (43.3%) from Rio de Janeiro. Cultural differences in knowledge were identified using a questionnaire to classify, according to semantic content, categories of transmission and preventive practices. Responses were scored as right or wrong. Data were tabulated and analyzed using EPIINFO 6.04 and open answers were classified according to semantic content. Comparison of the answer frequencies between cities was done through the chi-square test. RESULTS: Transmission category (TC) (n = 837 answers) and prevention category (PC) (n = 771 answers) "food- and waterborne" transmission items were the most frequently mentioned (40%). For TC, "food- and waterborne" answers were followed by "bloodborne" (16%), "inadequate knowledge" (9%), "possible causes of hepatic disease" (9%), and "sexual transmission" (7%) answers. For PC items, "food- and waterborne" answers were followed by "general aspects of prevention" (13%), "immunization" (9%), "quality of health services" (8%) and "sexual prevention" (5%) items. "Right" scores for transmission mechanisms and prevention practices varied from zero to 80%. CONCLUSIONS: Study findings suggest that investments should be made to disseminate appropriate knowledge on VH prevention, mainly addressing sexual transmission and intravenous drug use.

Information from teachers on viral hepatitis transmission and prevention in Brazil

OBJECTIVE: To assess school teachers' level of knowledge on prevention of viral hepatitis (VH). MATERIAL AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in three cities of Brazil, from August to November of 1999. The sample was composed of 360 subjects: 334 women and 26 men, 81 (22.5 percent) from Belém, 123 (34.2 percent) from Natal and 156 (43.3 percent) from Rio de Janeiro. Cultural differences in knowledge were identified using a questionnaire to classify, according to semantic content, categories of transmission and preventive practices. Responses were scored as right or wrong. Data were tabulated and analyzed using EPIINFO 6.04 and open answers were classified according to semantic content. Comparison of the answer frequencies between cities was done through the chi-square test. RESULTS: Transmission category (TC) (n=837 answers) and prevention category (PC) (n=771 answers) "food-and waterborne" transmission items were the most frequently mentioned (40 percent). For TC, "food-and waterborne" answers were followed by "bloodborne" (16 percent), "inadequate knowledge" (9 percent), "possible causes of hepatic disease" (9 percent), and "sexual transmission" (7 percent) answers. For PC items, "food-and waterborne" answers were followed by "general aspects of prevention" (13 percent), "immunization" (9 percent), "quality of health services" (8 percent) and "sexual prevention" (5 percent) items. "Right" scores for transmission mechanisms and prevention practices varied from zero to 80 percent. CONCLUSIONS: Study findings suggest that investments should be made to disseminate appropriate knowledge on VH prevention, mainly addressing sexual transmission and intravenous drug use