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Prevention of intestinal parasites in a tri‐border area of Latin America: Children perceptions and an integral health education strategy
Author(s) -
Rivero M. R.,
Salas M. M.,
Valente R.,
Nores M. J.,
De Angelo C.,
Arrabal J.,
Costa S.,
Salomón O. D.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
zoonoses and public health
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.87
H-Index - 65
eISSN - 1863-2378
pISSN - 1863-1959
DOI - 10.1111/zph.12365
Subject(s) - perception , knowledge transfer , latin americans , environmental health , psychology , medicine , knowledge management , political science , computer science , neuroscience , law
Summary To investigate knowledge of school‐aged children and their perception on intestinal parasites, and to assess knowledge reconstruction on prevention practices after specific training in the subject. We performed an activity package that included the analysis of children's drawings of intestinal parasites, and information and communication technologies ( ITC s) to transfer knowledge about these pathogens and prevention measures. Retrieval learning activities were performed to fixation of general and specific prevention and control measures.Overall, we found that there is a knowledge gap in many aspects of parasite biology and ecology, and therefore on the risk of infection and acquisition mechanisms. After ITC s, the children improved their knowledge over non‐trained children.The approaches used to transfer knowledge and for learning, fixation were valuable tools for incorporating changes in misconceptions and in the deep‐rooted habits that favour entero‐parasitic diseases. This has important implications for the specific design of future education materials and campaigns. Understanding of perceptions helps to provide justifications and knowledge to achieve changes in unhealthy habits, and it constitutes the basis for the transformation of many risky practices.