Health promotion and accident prevention in childhood: an intervention of medical students

Abstract

Introduction: Health promotion is a great challenge in the Brazilian National Health System. The implementation of health promotion actions is part of the necessary skills of medical
school undergraduates, according to the National Curriculum Guidelines for Undergraduate Medicine (DCN). Objective: This study aims to describe the development and implementation of games, seeking health education focusing on prevention of domestic accidents in childhood, made by students of the first year of medical school, Faculty of Medical Sciences of Santa Casa de São Paulo (FCMSCSP). Methods: The methodology of problematization led to construction of the project, started with the recognition of the territory of primary care service, discussion of found problems, evaluation of medical literature, towards the formulation of possible
solutions and implementing an prevention action. Results: The first year medical students have chosen to work with prevention of domestic accidents in childhood, in partnership with UBS and a nongovernmental organization in the region, which conducts educational
and recreational activities with children, in the after-school period. The students put up games discussing accident prevention and a leaflet for parents and guardians. Tournament was held in November 2012, in which medical students coordinated games with the children. Students constructed narrative about their perception of activity, with good evaluation of the health promotion action. Discussion: There is evidence of the benefit of early introduction of medical students in the community context, especially in active participation of health promotion activities, aiming to meaningful learning. The problematization strategy is a privileged teaching method aiming actions of health promotion and building the necessary skills for the production of these actions.