Resumen

MARQUEZ GUTIERREZ, Blanca Zulay; BORGES, Rafael  y  RODRIGUEZ-ORTEGA, Morella. Evaluation of changes on the knowledge of dengue in pupils of primary Coche Parish, Caracas, Venezuela. Bol Mal Salud Amb [online]. 2007, vol.47, n.2, pp.205-212. ISSN 1690-4648.

Dengue disease is an important health problem in our country. The present research is a descriptive experimental study, where the change in dengue knowledge in school children from 1st, 2nd and 3rd grades of elementary school, at Coche Parish, Capital District, Venezuela, before and after of educative intervention was evaluated and compared with a control group. A multiple selection questionnaire was used with variables related to knowledge on dengue, which produces it, the vector life cycle, where the mosquito lives and control measures. Once the test was applied, the educative intervention was carried out with complementary methods: lectures, didactic materials which were elaborated by the Ministerio para el Poder Popular de Salud y Deportes, workshops and a the movie “The undesirable enemy” was projected. A post-test was applied and the results were compared with those from a school that was not intervened. The data base was elaborated on Excel 2000 and the statistic analysis was done with the EPI INFO version 6.04 and 2000 using an c2 uncorrected c2 Mc Nemar. The loss of follow up was 18%. Corrected knowledge about dengue before the intervention was in greater proportion on the unintervened school with a significant improved knowledge in the first grade scholars. That knowledge about dengue, which produced it, where the vector live and reproduce was statistically significant after the intervention. However, knowledge worsened on some students on six of the seven variables after educative intervention. These results show the necessity for pedagogical techniques and materials that guarantee the educational process in the health area.

Palabras clave : Dengue; knowledge; educative intervention.