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Publication
Infecção por virus da imunodeficiência humana em Cabinda, Angola : conhecimento, atitudes e percepção de risco dos profissionais de saúde
Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
Mais da metade das novas infecções por vírus de imunodeficiência humana (VIH), a nível mundial, ocorre na África subsaariana, onde se localiza Cabinda, província angolana situada a Norte do país. Nesta parcela de Angola, a infecção por VIH, para além de ainda ser considerada, por muitos, como um mito (parte de crenças infundadas), é um factor de exclusão e de discriminação social. A ausência de fármacos eficazes para o tratamento desta infecção reforça a importância das medidas de controlo e de prevenção da mesma. Estas medidas visam, essencialmente, a não propagação de VIH e, para tal, é fundamental haver mudança de comportamentos e de atitudes. A OMS (WHO, 1992) tem vindo a insistir, no sentido de se implementarem estratégias educacionais que visem alterar ou anular os comportamentos de risco. Para esta organização, estas medidas devem ser mantidas como intervenções básicas para a prevenção e controlo da disseminação da pandemia causada por VIH. Assim, é fundamental conhecer e compreender os factores que estão associados a esta problemática. Para contribuir na reflexão sobre os cuidados de saúde prestados aos portadores de VIH, na cidade de Cabinda e de forma a impulsionar a sua optimização, este estudo tem como objectivo principal a compreensão do conhecimento, atitude e percepção de risco por parte dos profissionais de saúde em relação a VIH. O estudo, descritivo e exploratório, incide sobre um conjunto de dados recolhidos a partir de 255 profissionais de saúde (médicos, enfermeiros e técnicos de diagnóstico e terapêutica), vinculados a sete instituições hospitalares da cidade de Cabinda e com experiências de trabalho com infectados por VIH. Sexo, idade, origem étnica, normas culturais, estatuto socioeconómico e cultural foram as variáveis escolhidas. Para além da análise documental, os dados foram recolhidos através de questionário de caracterização e análise com uma escala de atitudes, utilizando perguntas abertas para a caracterização de aspectos relacionados com a percepção sobre os riscos que os mesmos possuem sobre VIH. A análise dos dados foi realizada com recurso ao software SPSS (Statistical Program for Social Sciences), versão 13.0. O tratamento das questões abertas foi efectuado através da análise de conteúdo. Os resultados obtidos sugerem que a faixa etária, o tempo de exercício profissional, o grau académico, a instituição de saúde em que se trabalha, o facto de frequentar/colaborar em formações (palestras, reuniões, seminários, sessões de educação para a saúde) interferem com o conhecimento, as atitudes e a percepção de risco dos profissionais de saúde inquiridos. Reconhece-se uma escassez de informação sobre o tema em estudo, sendo a imprensa e a televisão apontados alguns dos poucos meios disponíveis. Assim, emerge a necessidade urgente de o poder político proporcionar condições de valorização profissional que motive os profissionais de saúde para acções complementares de formação que os muna de saberes/competências sobre a infecção por VIH/SIDA, de forma a responderem às inúmeras situações com que se vêem confrontados. De uma forma geral, estes resultados poderão contribuir para o estabelecimento de estratégias de intervenção preventivas e para o desenvolvimento de políticas de promoção da saúde nas comunidades em que são prestados os cuidados.
More than half of new infections provoked worldwide by HIV occur in the sub-Saharan African region, where Cabinda (a northern province in Angola) is located. In this part of the country, the HIV infection is considered, by many, a myth (originated in misbelief) as well as a factor of exclusion and social discrimination. The lack of effective medicines to treat this kind of infection reinforces the importance of control measures to provide for prevention. These measures aim essentially at decreasing the transmission of HIV infection and they are based on changing behaviour and attitudes. The ‘WHO’, since 1992, has been insisting on the promotion of educational measures, seeking to alter or wipe out risky behaviours. According to this organization, these are basic procedures in order to ensure the control of prevention and dissemination of an aids pandemic being therefore essential to know and understand the factors associated to this problem. The purpose of the present study is to contribute for the reflection upon the health care given to HIV patients in the town of Cabinda, being its main objective to get to know the professionals’ knowledge, attitudes and risk awareness in relation to HIV. This study is mainly descriptive and exploratory, based on data taken from 225 health professionals (doctors, nurses together with diagnosis and therapist technicians), linked to seven hospitals and institutions from Cabinda, accustomed to work with patients with HIV. Gender, age, ethnical origin, cultural rules, socio-cultural and cultural status were the chosen social variables. Besides the documental analysis, the data were collected using a survey of characterization and analysis with a scale of attitudes, with open questions to portray aspects related to the perception of risks acknowledged by professionals, about HIV. The analysis was made by means of SPSS (Statistical Program for Social Sciences) software, version 13.0, attached to Windows. Question dealing was conducted through content analysis. The results suggest that age, professional experience, academic degree, the type of health institution where one works, and the fact of taking or not part in training sessions such as lectures, meetings, seminars and sessions for health education, interfere with knowledge, attitude and awareness of risk for the health professionals inquired. There is insufficient information about this theme, being that press and television are some of the few available means. There is thus urgent need for political power to provide for technicians to improve their formation and their skills on HIV/AIDS infection, so that they can cope with the countless daily challenges and situations. In general, the results could contribute for the establishment of prevention strategies and for the development of policies that promote health care in communities.
More than half of new infections provoked worldwide by HIV occur in the sub-Saharan African region, where Cabinda (a northern province in Angola) is located. In this part of the country, the HIV infection is considered, by many, a myth (originated in misbelief) as well as a factor of exclusion and social discrimination. The lack of effective medicines to treat this kind of infection reinforces the importance of control measures to provide for prevention. These measures aim essentially at decreasing the transmission of HIV infection and they are based on changing behaviour and attitudes. The ‘WHO’, since 1992, has been insisting on the promotion of educational measures, seeking to alter or wipe out risky behaviours. According to this organization, these are basic procedures in order to ensure the control of prevention and dissemination of an aids pandemic being therefore essential to know and understand the factors associated to this problem. The purpose of the present study is to contribute for the reflection upon the health care given to HIV patients in the town of Cabinda, being its main objective to get to know the professionals’ knowledge, attitudes and risk awareness in relation to HIV. This study is mainly descriptive and exploratory, based on data taken from 225 health professionals (doctors, nurses together with diagnosis and therapist technicians), linked to seven hospitals and institutions from Cabinda, accustomed to work with patients with HIV. Gender, age, ethnical origin, cultural rules, socio-cultural and cultural status were the chosen social variables. Besides the documental analysis, the data were collected using a survey of characterization and analysis with a scale of attitudes, with open questions to portray aspects related to the perception of risks acknowledged by professionals, about HIV. The analysis was made by means of SPSS (Statistical Program for Social Sciences) software, version 13.0, attached to Windows. Question dealing was conducted through content analysis. The results suggest that age, professional experience, academic degree, the type of health institution where one works, and the fact of taking or not part in training sessions such as lectures, meetings, seminars and sessions for health education, interfere with knowledge, attitude and awareness of risk for the health professionals inquired. There is insufficient information about this theme, being that press and television are some of the few available means. There is thus urgent need for political power to provide for technicians to improve their formation and their skills on HIV/AIDS infection, so that they can cope with the countless daily challenges and situations. In general, the results could contribute for the establishment of prevention strategies and for the development of policies that promote health care in communities.
Description
Keywords
VIH Profissionais de saúde Conhecimentos Atitudes Percepção Risco Cuidados Angola Cabinda HIV Health professionals Knowledge Attitudes Perception/awareness Risk Health care