[Impact of an educational intervention carried out in anti-vector campaign workers].

Abstract

Introduction: Aedes aegypti is a common vector in Cuba, which damages human health. Santiago de Cuba is one of the provinces with high number of mosquito foci in a sustained way. Therefore, it is very important, from the social viewpoint, to carry out educational interventions with anti-vector campaign workers in Mella municipality in this province.

Objective: to evaluate the impact of an educational intervention on dengue, Aedes aegypti and monitoring actions with anti-vector program workers from Mella municipality in Santiago de Cuba.

Methods: a quasi-experimental research was conducted before and after the educational intervention from November to December, 2010. Lectures and workshops were given in each of the three health areas of the municipality. The sample was made up of 64 workers. The addressed topics were dengue, Aedes aegypti and actions to control them. An Excel database was created. Wilconxon's sign tests were applied to check changes in knowledge. SPSS statistical processor was used (11.5 version).

Results: before the educational interveption, the knowledge on dengue was broader than those on the rest of the addressed topics. After the intervention, except for the responses about the disease, the rest of the topics increased their initial assessment values. The topic Aedes aegypti had the highest number of satisfactory answers (100 %), followed by actions to control the vector (90 %).

Conclusions: the educational strategy was effective, since it achieved high impact on the increase of knowledge of the anti-vector campaign workers in Mella municipality, Santiago de Cuba province.