TITLE:
Microbe/Bug-Busters Visit the Interactive House: An Itinerant Scenographic Device for Health Education
AUTHORS:
Ana Márcia Suarez-Fontes, Juliana Almeida-Silva, Sarah Cristina dos Santos Silva, Letícia Sant’Anna de Souza, Daniele Brum de Souza, Conceição Suarez Fontes de Araújo Lima, Marcos André Vannier-Santos
KEYWORDS:
Science Communication, Health Education, One Health, Environmental Health, Parasitic Diseases
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Animal Sciences,
Vol.11 No.2,
April
30,
2021
ABSTRACT: The term Ecology is derived from οἶκος (Greek
“house” or environment), but our habitations usually overlooked in ecology or
environmental studies. The expression “at home” usually means safety and
comfort, but at home we are under risk of innumerous parasitic/microbial
infections and contaminations/ envenomation.
During the COVID-19 pandemic we were forced to stay at home, but the virus and other
pathogens were also home-delivered. Education for health is highly effective in
health promotion, particularly in poor
areas. Thus, prophylactic interventions approaching household environment are
required. The present activity aims community empowerment and engagement
in controlling parasitic diseases and other infections such as Chagas disease,
leishmaniasis, malaria, arboviruses etc. Inspired on the use of a house maket
by Dr. Virgínia Schall to demonstrate Aedes mosquitoes breeding sites.
We also employ house makets displaying pathogen vectors breeding/hiding sites.
Although some makets can be opened, revealing intradomiciliary milieu, we
intended to offer the public a literally “insider” view of this largely
overlooked scenery. The “Interactive House”, also known as “House with no viruses and other bugs” is an educative, interactive, ludic device elaborated on an inflatable
igloo, with furniture and utensils crafted using reused/recycled or low-cost
materials. Live mosquito larvae were placed at peridomicile in
water-accumulating plant pot saucer, leaves-clogged gutter, used tire, dog
water bowl as well as within the domicile, in the shower drain trap. Evidengue®,
crafted in cloth to block mosquito oviposition developed is presented.
Participants enjoy taking part in the activity, seem amused, play, laugh and
smile while enthusiastically take pictures. This educative activity permits
health communication in a ludic interactive way, which may contribute to health
promotion in areas with public health problems.