Abstract

CARVALHO, Tatiana Ferraz et al. Tungiasis-related knowledge of health professionals from an endemic area of Uberlândia, Minas Gerais, Brazil, 2010. Epidemiol. Serv. Saúde [online]. 2012, vol.21, n.2, pp.243-251. ISSN 1679-4974.  http://dx.doi.org/10.5123/S1679-49742012000200007.

OBJECTIVE: to describe tungiasis-related knowledge of health professionals in an endemic area. METHODS: a cross-sectional study, using structured questionnaire applied to 78 public health professionals of six districts in the municipality of Uberlândia, state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, in 2010. RESULTS: the study included 78 health professionals, from which 38 reported their observation of high prevalence of tungiasis in humans; for 61 of them, tungiasis occurrence has seasonal variation, from July to September; severe cases were correctly associated with secondary infections (20/78) or superinfestation (11/78); most of the questions had considerable proportion of answers 'Do not know' (Min-Max: 8/78-52/78), especially those related to the epidemiology of the disease. CONCLUSION: tungiasis is neglected by primary health care and the knowledge of health professionals about the disease, even in endemic areas were they work, is insufficient.

Keywords : Tungiasis; Health Personnel; Education; Public Health Professional.

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