PREVENTION AND HEALTH EDUCATION STRATEGIES ON PARASITIC DISEASES

Abstract

The article "Prevention and Health Education Strategies on Parasitic Diseases" reports on an outreach initiative carried out at the Dr. Helvécio Ferraz Basic Health Unit in Teresina, Piauí. The activity focused on raising awareness among the population enrolled in the UBS about the relationship between their socioeconomic conditions and the occurrence of parasitic diseases, highlighting their vulnerabilities and risks. Preventive strategies that can be incorporated into daily life were discussed, as well as clinical signs that require attention and early referral to health services. The central problem presented is the community's exposure to contamination by geohelminthiasis, resulting from poor sanitation, infrastructure, and hygiene conditions. The main objective of the initiative was to raise public awareness about parasitic diseases, their modes of transmission, prevention methods, symptoms, and treatment, with a view to reducing incidence and improving quality of life. The study used a descriptive and observational approach, reporting an outreach experience structured in four stages: literature review, planning, implementation of the initiative, and internal discussion. The article's introduction reinforces the importance of health education as a tool for social empowerment, stimulating the population's critical perception of the health-disease process and encouraging sustainable preventive practices.