Cooperative interventions and the interaction of Community Health Agents within the Family Health team

This qualitative study examines the social relationships between the Community Health Agents (CHAs) and the Family Health team (FH), highlighting cooperative interventions and interactions among workers. A total of 23 participant observations and 11 semi-structured interviews were conducted with an FH team in a city in the interior of Sao Paulo, Brazil. The results revealed that CHAs function as a link in the development of operational actions to expedite teamwork. These professionals, while creating bonds, articulate connections of teamwork and interact with other workers, developing common care plans and bringing the team and community together, as well as adapting care interventions to meet the real needs of people. In communication practice, when talking about themselves they talk about the community itself because they are the community's representatives and spokespersons on the team. The conclusion is that the CHA may be a strategic worker if his/her actions include more political and social dimensions of work in healthcare.

Social Mobilization in Health and Sanitation in an Action Research Process in an Indigenous Community in Northwestern Amazon

The living conditions of the inhabitants of Iauarete, an indigenous area in the municipality of Sao Gabriel da Cachoeira, State of Amazonas (Northern Brazil), have been negatively affected by population density, poor sanitation and maintenance of sanitation practices that are incompatible with that reality. To improve the population's quality of life, sanitation systems that are adequate to the local socio-cultural characteristics should be implemented, as well as educational processes with emphasis on social mobilization and community empowerment. The aim of this paper is to report and discuss a training course on health and sanitation using action research, directed to the mobilization of the Iauarete indigenous people, with the objective of assisting other studies of this nature. In the meetings, issues related to environmental health were discussed, a Community Newspaper was constructed, the course participants made interviews and drew up claims documents. This experience has enhanced the participants' understanding of local problems and of the importance of social mobilization for the dialogue with governmental institutions that are responsible for providing sanitation services and for seeking better living conditions. The researchers and teachers of the training course benefitted from the construction of collective knowledge resulting from interaction with subjects of the investigated situation and from the recognition and redefinition of their representations, fulfilling the fundamental premise of action research.

Discussions about Health and Illness: revisiting Monteiro Lobato's adult work

Monteiro Lobato's opinions with regard to the health and disease themes were not restricted to Jeca Tatu's condition; he went beyond, and his opinions and reports about the illness experience can be observed in several excerpts of his adult work. This paper highlights the health and illness conceptions observed in Monteiro Lobato's writings. Through the analysis of his adult work, we could learn about his opinions and reports on his beloved ones' experience of being sick, the possibility that the disease offers of socializing individuals, medical corporativism, his participation in the Pro-Sanitation League, some paternalistic health practices and the vulnerability of those with unfavorable social conditions, among other topics, in some occasions with comical characteristics, in others with resignation and even anger. Therefore, this study analyzed his adult work, discussing the excerpts that deal with health and illness experienced in the first decades of the 20th century.

Influence of nutritional variables and obesity on health and metabolism

Influence of nutritional variables and obesity on health and metabolism Obesity is a recurring theme in current scientific literature. This can easily be explained by its exponential increase in all layers of society. The popularity of this subject has also given rise to associated questions, which have achieved greater prominence in health-related publications. In order to assess what has been studied in the field of obesity and nutrition, an overview of all articles published on these subjects in some of the main Brazilian scientific journals over the past two years was performed. Among the subthemes selected for this study, those related to childhood obesity attracted attention due to their greater frequency. These were subdivided into: prevalence, intrauterine and breastfeeding influences that may lead to the development of this condition, impact on quality of life, cardiovascular system and metabolism, and possible prevention strategies. Furthermore, issues related to obesity in adults were explored, such as risk factors and new strategies for prevention, with special attention given to the many studies evaluating different aspects of bariatric surgery. Finally, the subject of malnutrition and the impact of the deficiency of specific micronutrients such as selenium, vitamin D, and vitamin B12 were assessed. Based on the results, it was possible to assess the actual importance of obesity and nutrition in health maintenance, and also the several lines of research regarding these issues. Thus, it is essential to create new methods, which must be quick and efficient, to update health professionals involved in the treatment of obesity.