EPIDEMIOLOGY AND VULNERABILITIES OF TRADITIONAL POPULATIONS OF THE AMAZON RELATED TO SCORPION ACCIDENTS

Abstract

Epidemiology is an instrument for identifying relevant health problems, evaluating their determinants and conditioning factors. The vulnerabilities of the traditional populations of the Amazon in the face of scorpion accidents need attention from the public authorities. The objective of this study was to investigate the epidemiological aspects and vulnerabilities of traditional populations in the Amazon related to scorpion accidents. This is a descriptive, multi-method, cross-sectional study carried out in the municipality of Santarém-Pa. The first quantitative stage was carried out by the SINAN database, from 2019 to 2023, in the second stage, qualitative, interviews were carried out with victims of scorpionism, with descriptive and content statistical analysis carried out, respectively, for the different stages. The study was approved by the CEP of the State University of Pará under CAAE No.: 72294123.6.0000.5168. From 2019 to 2023, there were 926 cases of scorpion accidents in Santarém PA. 64.80% were male, aged between 18 and 64 years (70.73%), 65.77% were from the rural area and 23.76% from the urban area. Aspects of vulnerabilities: individual and social and programmatic susceptibilities emerged specific to these traditional populations. Epidemiology revealed that in Santarém, scorpion accidents can cause neuromuscular manifestations, such as myoclonus, fasciculation and a sensation of electric shock through the body. In view of the vulnerabilities, scorpionism is a socially determined phenomenon, since it mainly affects people who live in conditions of greater vulnerability and the possibilities to face it are also different, including access to health services. The study brought an in-depth view of scorpion accidents in Santarém-PA, focusing on the epidemiological aspects and vulnerabilities that affect traditional populations in the Amazon. The limitation of access to immediate care with anti-scorpion serum in health services reinforces the need to improve the response to scorpionism, especially in remote areas.