Control of dengue fever in two urban areas of central Brazil: perceptions of residents

Abstract

With the implementation of the Family Health Strategy in Brazil, the control of dengue fever, which had been previously assigned to Endemic Disease Control Agents, has also become the task of Community Health Agents. In Rio Verde de Mato Grosso, dengue control has continued being developed by both types of agents and, in São Gabriel do Oeste, a municipality that belongs to the same micro-region, this activity has been incorporated by the Community Health Agents, which made the Endemic Disease Control Agents cease to exist. The study aimed to verify if the quality of the work of the Community Health Agents has been affected according to the perception of the population in these two municipalities of Mato Grosso do Sul (Central-Western Brazil). Focal groups were held with the municipalities' residents and, to organize the contents, the Discourse of the Collective Subject technique was used. In both municipalities, residents are satisfied with the Community Health Agents' work, which shows that in São Gabriel do Oeste the accumulation of dengue control activities has not affected the quality of their work. In Rio Verde de Mato Grosso, residents consider that the work with dengue is specific to the Endemic Disease Control Agents, but they demonstrate more satisfaction with the performance of the Community Health Agents. In spite of the overload of the Community Health Agents, the study shows the potential that the work organization adopted in São Gabriel do Oeste has to the improvement in dengue control in the level of primary health care.