Abstract

RODRIGUEZ HEREDIA, Odalys I; LOUZADO ESCRICH, Elsa María; ESPINDOLA ARTOLA, Arnaldo  and  RODRIGUEZ HEREDIA, Ovidia Herena. Educational intervention on acute respiratory infections. AMC [online]. 2010, vol.14, n.3. ISSN 1025-0255.

Background: acute respiratory infections constitute an important health problem, as much for the impressive morbidity numbers as for the high index of mortality they cause. Objective: to apply an educational intervention to elevate the level of knowledge on acute respiratory infections in the Popular Council Lenin-Albaisa. Method: an experimental study of educational intervention in the population of the Popular Council Lenin-Albaisa of the health area Carlos J. Finlay belonging to Camagüey municipality was performed, from January 1st at September 30, 2008. The universe was constituted by fourteen thousand six hundred fifteen people of that popular council; it was taken as sample to one-hundred fifty-seven people for simple random sampling, which fulfilled the inclusion and exclusion criteria, and also were applied a questionnaire. This investigation was carried out in three stages: diagnostic, intervention and evaluation. Results: it was evidenced that before receiving the educational works were scarce the knowledge on what acute respiratory infection is, its symptoms, transmission via, favourer factors, forms of prevention and the manner of proceeding regarding antimicrobial use in dependence of its etiology. Conclusions: at the beginning of the investigation the population had little knowledge on acute respiratory infections, after the intervention a significant increase was achieved, for what was considered effective the intervention.

Keywords : INTERVENTION STUDIES; RESPIRATORY TRACT INFECTIONS; HEALTH EDUCATION; EDUCATIONAL MEASUREMENT.