Abstract

CONCEPCION ROJAS, Miriam et al. Indicators of environmental health and the population's work in the prevention of dengue: Havana City, 2003. Rev Cubana Hig Epidemiol [online]. 2005, vol.43, n.1, pp. 0-0. ISSN 1561-3003.

A rapid study was conducted in 15 municipalities of Havana City at the beginning of 2003 aimed at evaluating the behavior of some indicators related to environmental sanitation and the community's work in the prevention of dengue. The epicluster method was used to this end. 3 150 persons aged 15 or over were surveyed. The houses of the surveyed were supervised by the campaign personnel. All the working centers that were in the block selected were also inspected. The surveyors evaluated the behavior of a group of indicators connected with environmental sanitation that were risks for the appearance of focuses. They took into account the reports of the municipal branches. By applying the survey, the criteria of the population on the environmental sanitation in its block, the quality of the work done by the campaign personnel, the family physician and nurse and the mass organizations, as well as the knowledge, behavior and perception of protection factors for the appearance of focuses, were evaluated. In the analysis of the data, it was used the SAS statistical program, by which the percentages, medians, confidence intervals and quartiles of the different aspects approached were determined. The environmental sanitation in the visited blocks was considered as fair. The sanitation of the houses and working centers show advances, but they demand a prioritized attention and an increasing systematic participation of the community. The risk perception, the knowledge and behavior of the surveyed individuals are acceptable; however, work on the development of conducts to make the prevention and control of dengue sustainable should continue.

Keywords : Environmental health indicators; dengue.