Avaliação de qualidade de vida de estudantes da rede pública de Alagoas, e sensibilização em educação e saúde sobre o tabagismo

Abstract

Smoking can lead to a number of diseases to human beings. According to the Organization Smoking can lead to a number of diseases to human beings. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), smoking is still considered a serious public health problem common in the world population. Children and adolescents in the school phase usually live with smoking family members, thus becoming passive smokers. Despite this, there is a lack of information about smoking among schoolchildren. Therefore, this study aimed to sensitize elementary school students about the damage caused to their health by exposure to active or passive tobacco. For this, a questionnaire was applied, containing questions about the quality of life of the students, such as eating habits, the practice of physical activities and knowledge about the harms of tobacco, besides information about the contact of students and their families with smoking. After the application of the questionnaire, a dialogic lecture was held, as an awarenessraising activity in education and health, in two elementary school classes of a public school on the outskirts of Maceió. Among 46 students who answered the questionnaire, 23.9% stated that their parents and/or grandparents smoked and that they were passive smokers; 8.7% had already tried cigarettes, and one declared that he was an active smoker, using 10 cigarettes a day. In general, it was observed that students have eating habits considered unhealthy, considering that they prefer: soft drinks (21%), sweets (21%), and fried foods (19%) to healthy foods. However, 33% of the students practice physical activities, such as playing soccer, playing street games, walking or running. More than 50% had a balanced self-image, while 15% had a distorted self-image, which can lead to poor mental health. Smoking is still a relevant public health problem and the school is an appropriate environment to reflect on the subject, which can be taken to the family and the community as a way to raise awareness in health education.