Risco de adoecimento por exposição às águas do Rio Doce: um estudo sobre a percepção da população de Tumiritinga, Minas Gerais, Brasil

• Autor(a) principal: Gilvan Ramalho Guedes
• Data de Publicação: 2015
• Outros Autores: Andréa Branco Simão, Carlos Alberto Dias, Eliza de Oliveira Braga
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: por
• Título da fonte: Cadernos de Saúde Pública
• Texto Completo: https://cadernos.ensp.fiocruz.br/ojs/index.php/csp/article/view/5965
• topic: Riscos Ambientais; Poluição da Água; Doenças Transmitidas pela Água

The close relationship between local residents and the Rio Doce and the river’s recurrent flooding lead to continuous exposure of the population to waterborne diseases. Given the epidemiological importance of such diseases in the region, this study analyzes the association between risk perception of contamination and river water use, as well as the heuristic mechanisms used by individuals to shape their personal perception of risk. Regression models coupled with thematic network analysis were applied to primary data from 352 households in 2012. The data are representative of urban residents of Tumiritinga, Minas Gerais State, Brazil. The results show that while 92.6% of respondents perceived high risk of waterborne diseases, only 11.4% reported not making direct use of the river. This apparent paradox is explained by the lack of information on transmission mechanisms, underestimating the perception of contamination. Public campaigns to promote preventive behavior should stress how waterborne diseases are transmitted, using simple examples to reach a wider local audience.