2009, Number 1
Social perceptions of pneumonia and antipneumococcal vaccine in adults
Hamui SA, Gómez SMF, Nellen HH, Halabe CJ
Full text
Language: Spanish
References: 11
Page: 23-31
PDF size: 89.46 Kb.
ABSTRACT
The impoverished Mexican adult population impressions about pneumonia (causes, symptoms, development and attitudes) and the antipneumococcal vaccine are the themes of this article. It is a qualitative research with 849 cases gathered from 7 rural health centers from September 2005 to February 2006. The information of 5 open questions was systematized in categories to comprehend the social perceptions considering socio demographic context and the experience of knowing and living with pneumonia. 60.70% associated the disease with respiratory symptoms, 59.81% thought that the causes were linked with the lack of personal attention during cold weather, bad food or neglect of a respiratory illness. 68.03% answered that the immediate problems associated with pneumonia were expressed in physical and biological deterioration, and 12.02% referred social problems such as the segregation of the ill persons. Finally, questions about the acceptance or rejection of the vaccine application, express the existence of a positive vaccination culture, although efforts are needed in health education and preventive strategies to create social conscience about the importance of the immunization practices. There are still faults on issues such as the surveillance of the vaccination history in adults by health care personnel and scant rural health centers inaccessible to numerous populations that limit pneumonia vaccination in adults.REFERENCES