Guarda responsável e prevenção de zoonoses: práticas e conhecimentos de estudantes de ensino médio em Altamira-Pa

Abstract

With thousands of years of coexistence with humans, dogs and cats are significant because, as well as providing comfort, support and emotional security to their owners, they also play an important role in preserving biodiversity. These animals are considered members of many families, but the lack of knowledge of their physiological, behavioral and psychological needs on the part of their guardians is a major factor in their lives, because this leads to mistreatment, inadequate nutrition, disease, abandonment and overpopulation of animals on the streets. From this context, the research is based on the following problem: What practices and knowledge of responsible pet ownership and zoonosis prevention measures prevail among high school students in the city of Altamira-PA? Therefore, the main objective of this research is to verify the practices and/or knowledge of public and private high school students in relation to responsible guardianship and zoonosis prevention measures. In order to carry out the research, the locus of the study is the city of Altamira, in the state of Pará, Brazil, and it was carried out in seven high schools, four of which were state public schools and three private schools, between September and November 2023. The research instrument used was a questionnaire with 10 questions on responsible guardianship and 13 questions on zoonoses and prevention measures, containing open and closed questions. In this study, a total sample of 1,568 students was obtained in 2023, which corresponds to 49.35% of the students enrolled. It was noted that the students had previous knowledge as a starting point for constructing new knowledge, and it was possible to verify that the topic was related to their daily lives. With regard to the schools surveyed, it was possible to ascertain the absence of practical and educational activities in the school environment in relation to contemporary issues of current legislation, addressing responsible guardianship and the prevention of zoonoses. It is therefore advisable to address this issue regularly in order to promote health and information for pupils and, consequently, the population. Thus, after the survey in the schools, lectures were given to 534 students in the schools surveyed between April and May 2024. The importance of these studies is highlighted in order to verify students' knowledge of responsible guardianship and zoonoses, with a view to implementing public policies aimed at carrying out socio-educational activities in schools.