RESUMO
The purpose of this study was to plan health education efforts that integrate the health and education sectors. From March to November 2004, an art contest was held for 7th9th grade students in 109 schools in 11 of Argentinas provinces. The contest allowed improvements in knowledge to be measured and adjustments to be made to the curriculum. The students created works of art featuring tuberculosis. To evaluate knowledge acquired, two provinces were chosen at random. Student knowledge had increased from 67.2% to 96.4%. The administrators and teachers testified to the usefulness of the materials developed. These results show that when the efforts of health and education sectors are coordinated and the appropriate materials are leveraged, the efforts of educators can be substantially bolstered.
Assuntos
Adolescente , Criança , Humanos , Arte , Impressos Avulsos como Assunto , Educação em Saúde/métodos , Tuberculose/prevenção & controle , Argentina , Motivação , Instituições AcadêmicasRESUMO
La tuberculosis menígea en menores de cinco años continúia siendo un serio problema de salud pública en Argentina, con una tasa de 0.39/100 000 en el bienio 2003-2004. Esta tasa refleja las infecciones recientes y es un indicador operac ional de la búsqueda y tratamiento de casos adultos pulmonares y de la cobertura de la vacunación con BCG en el recién nacido. Este estudio se realizó con el objecto de describir las variables epidemiológicas y clínicas de los casos de meningitis tuberculosa en menorees de cinco años en Argentina en el período 1999-2001 y para obtener mayor certeza sobre el número real de menigitis que se producen en el país. Se estudiaron con fichas epidemiológicas 15 casos de meningitis de los 32 notificados (46.8%). La mediana de la edad fue 14 meses, 6 niños tenían cicatriz de BCG, pero en sólo uno se pudo constatar que fue vacunado al nacer, 11/13 (92.3%) estaban en estadio 2 de la enfermedad, la investigación bacteriológica resultó positiva en 8/11 (72.7%), por lo menos 7(46.8%) presentaron imágenes compatibles con tuberculosis pulmonar, la prueba tuberculínica resultó no reactiva en todos los casos en que fue aplicada. Este estúdio puso en evidencia que los niños se diagnosticaron en estadios avanzados de la enfermedad, ninguno curó sin secuelas y tubo un muy alto porcentaje de letalidad (46%). Para contrarrestar esta situación epidemiológica es necessario incrementar la búsqueda y tratamiento supervisado de casos bacilíferos, el estudio de contactos y la cobertura de vacunación con BCG al nacimiento.
Tuberculous (TB) meningitis in children under 5 years of age is a serious health problem in Argentina, with a rate of 0.39/100 000 inhabitants, for 2003-2004. This rate indicates recent infections. It is an operational indicator for case finding and treatment of pulmonary adult cases, and for BCG vaccination of the newborn. The object of this study was to describe epidemic an clinical varialbles registered in cases of TB meningitis in children less than 5 years old in Argentina, from 1999 to 2001 and to determine the real number of TB meningitis in children less than 5 years old in Argentina, from 1999 to 2001 and to determine the real number of TB meningitis cases in our country. Fifteen cases of TB meningitis out of 32 (46.8%) were studied through epidemic records. The average age woas 14 months. Sis children presented BCG scars but in only one child it was proved that he had been vaccinated at birth; 11/13 (92.3%) were at the second stage of illness, the bacteriological investigation was positive in 8/11 (72.7%) and in (46.8%) chest radiography revealed abnormal findings. The tuberculin reaction was negative in all tested cases. This study showed that the diagnosis was made at an advanced stage of disease. None of these patients was cured without sequels and a hight death rate (46%) was observed. In order to control this epidemic situation, it is necessary to increase case finding and directly observed treatment of smear positive pulmonary TB cases, as well as BCG vaccination given at birth.