Abstract

TAUIL, Pedro Luis. Controle de agravos à saúde: consistência entre objetivos e medidas preventivas. Inf. Epidemiol. Sus [online]. 1998, vol.7, n.2, pp.55-58. ISSN 0104-1673.  http://dx.doi.org/10.5123/S0104-16731998000200006.

This paper argues the need for setting up well defined obj'ectives in the activities of disease control. The choice of preventive measures and the strategy of executing them depend on the obj'ectives proposed. The technologic andscientific knowledge about the risk factors, transmission, pathogenesis, clinical characteristics and treatment ofthe disease, as well as the availability offnancial and human resources and the political decision, influence the definition ofthe obj'ectives to be reached. Eradication, elimination, reduction of incidence, reduction ofthe number ofsevere cases and reduction offatality rate are the possible obj'ectives of disease control Eradication differs from elimination because in the latter the preventive measures must go on after the incidence has reached zero, while in eradication they may be interrupted and the disease does not present re-incidence. Disease control may have more than one oj'ective and may also change with time. Malaria, poliomyelitis and Hansen disease are examples of control activities that changed their oj'ectives recently. Emphasis is put on the fact that the commonly used difference between eradication and control is not enough to choose the appropriate preventive measures, for planning, organizing and evaluating disease control activities.

Keywords : Ojectives of Disease Control; Preventive Measures.

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