[Life style and level of health education in housewives from a neighborhood of Granada]. / Estilo de vida y nivel de educación sanitaria en amas de casa de un barrio de Granada capital.

In the present study some aspects of the health education level and life style of the housewives of a district of Granada were evaluated. The sample was randomly selected between the dwellings in that area. The participation rate was 60%. The survey was carried out by personal and direct interview by a female interviewer. The mean educational level was lower than high school in 97.5%. Mean age was 47 years. 13.3% of them were smokers, and 21.7% drank alcohol regularly. Only 44.1% of those in child bearing age used some contraceptive method; intrauterine devices were not used by anyone of them. Maternal lactation showed an increasing trend with age, but without statistical significance. 28.3% of women were unaware of the services of early diagnosis of genital cancer, and a similar rate ignored the preventive self-examination of the breast. The major conclusions of the study were that the educational level is directly related with the performance of beneficial health habits, and that the activities directed to health education should be promoted in the target population.