Dados do Trabalho

Título

EXTENSION PROJECTS AS A STRATEGY TO STROKE PREVENTION

Resumo

Introduction: In medical education, students are usually invited to participate, throughout their training, in activities that bring them closer to the community, in exercise of developing empathy. In the academic environment, extension projects offer students the opportunity to be in closer contact with a particular medical condition of great relevance to the community. In these projects, students can get in touch with people outside academic enviroment and disseminate essential information that is often little known. In this context, the Interest Group of Neurosciences of the State University of Ceará (Neuruece) applies an extension project named “health education in stroke in primary care and in social networks”. Objective: Perform educational strategies relates to stroke prevention in patients and/or population with very high risk for stroke in the context of Primary Health Care. Method: This project aims to enlighten the population about the risk factors for stroke, the importance of detection of its symptoms as well as immediate intervention to avoid sequelae. The target audience consists of hypertensive individuals at high or very high risk for stroke followed up in Primary Health Care Units of Fortaleza (CE), as well as its family members, companions and community health agents. In addition, educational posts on aspects involving stroke are elaborated and posted, both for the target audience and for the general public that has access to the profiles of Neuruece's social networks. Results: The health promotion action in the Primary Health Care Units reached 104 people who participated in training on the main characteristics of stroke, such as: risk factors, main symptoms, how to identify a stroke and when to call emergency services. In addition, 2 materials were posted on the following topics: "what is a stroke?" and "main signs and symptoms of stroke", which gathered an average of 98 likes and 93 shares. In total, 1118 accounts from different cities were reached (Fortaleza (CE), São Paulo (SP), Maracanaú (CE) and Eusébio (CE)); 87 visits to the @neuruece profile and 34 new followers gained, currently totaling 2550. Conclusion: The impacts of these educational strategies on the participants can prevent new cases of stroke or reduce complications resulting from the sequelae of people already affected by the disease. Neuruece's social networks may impact positively the current knowledge of the population about stroke.

Palavras Chave

Stroke; Primary health care; Extension projects; Prevention