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Research topics in:
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Public health and nutrition |
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Baxter, Ryan, "Dengue Fever in Santa Cruz; Knowledge Level, Actions and Attitudes on the Disease and Prevention Techniques in Response to Public Education Campaigns." Advisor: Dr. Anabelle Alfaro. St. Olaf College. 2004. 32pp. I studied the knowledge about dengue fever and the actions being taken to prevent the disease among the residents of Santa Cruz, Guanacaste. The goal of this study was to try and gauge the effects of current and past public education campaigns on the residents of Santa Cruz, Guanacaste. During the months of March and April I performed door to door interviews and patio inspections throughout the entire neighborhoods of Santa Cecilia and Corobici. From my data collection I was able to determine that the residents of this city have very good general knowledge about the disease, its vector and modes of prevention. However they were lacking solid information on Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever and still had many potential criaderos in their patios. There was very little statistical relation found between knowledge level and cleanliness of the patio. Based on these findings the ministry of health needs to develop a new focus for their prevention campaigns which promotes more intense action of the citizens. Brown, Jennifer, "A Descriptive and Comparative Analysis of Health in Children in Two Indigenous Communities: Suretka and Coroma." Adv. Marcos Guevara. Grinnell. 1992. 44pp. This study is based on seven weeks of qualitative and observational research in the indigenous communities of Suretka and Coroma. Each community has evolved uniquely since the incoming of outside ideologies, including; schools, economy, religions, and healthcare. My focus was on the health situation of children in each of these communities. It describes the health situation of children from a contextual viewpoint, relating practices in the home, living conditions, and outside factors which affect their health. A brief comparison shows that although Suretka and Coroma are different in many respects, potential health risks and existing health problems remain the same. Future studies are needed to observe how health care is continuing to change as more people are moving into the reserve. Carnell, Jen, "Investigation of the Employees' and Community's Perception of the Quality of the Health Care Offered by a Small Rural Health Care Center and the Nutritional State of the Children who Utilize the Services of the Center." Adv. Dr. Freddy Ulate. Macalester College. 1995. 96pp. A study of the employees' and community's perception of the quality of health care offered by a health care center and the nutritional state of the children, ages 0-6 years, that the health care center services was conducted in Chachagua, a small town in the district of Peñas Blancas, the San Ramón region in the province of Alajuela. Interviews with the employees of the health care center and members of the community and observations of the interaction between these two groups were used to assess the quality of the health care. To investigate the nutritional state of the children of the area, data on the heights, weights, and the ages of eighty children was collected. This data was utilized to classify the children as normal, overweight, or malnourished according to standard indexes of weight/age and weight-height. According to the perception of the employees, the services offered by the health care center cannot be described as high quality. While the employees, for the most part, appear to be executing their jobs well, the health care center lacks the equipment and services necessary to provide high quality services to the community. The community was less critical of the health care in Chachagua as all community members stated that they were satisfied with the services. The nutritional state of the children in the area was slightly better (85% were without malnutrition) than the average nutritional state of children in all of Costa Rica (81% were without malnutrition). Caufield, Sarah, “A Descriptive Analysis of the Nutritional State and Associated Health Risks of Students and Educators of the Public Schools in the Cantón of Pococí.” Adv. Dr. Freddy Ulate Mora. Coe College. 2000. 28 pp. This anthropometric study investigated the nutritional state in public schools in Pococí County, Costa Rica during March and April of 2000. Measurements were taken from fourth, fifth, and sixth graders and their respective educators, in order to classify and analyze the current nutritional state of the population and related health risks. The individual students were evaluated according to Body Mass Index, and indices of height for age and cranial circumference for age. Averages and percentages were compared to international and national data. The data collected reflected a population with a high level of obesity and associated cardiovascular risk. Female students were found to have a lower average age of menarche than their mothers, indicating adequate living conditions, and improved socioeconomic well-being than the past generation. Together, all the nutritional indicators demonstrated the relatively recent transition this area has made, from rural to urban living conditions. Recognition of the increasing problem of obesity, and promotion of healthier lifestyles in both students and educators of the area are recommended to address this issue. Converse, Amy, "Attitudes and Relevant Factors Affecting the Use and Knowledge of Medicinal Plants: Pejibaye and Humo." Adv. Rafael Ocampo. Carleton College. 1995. 47pp. This is a study on the knowledge and use of medicinal plants in two small pueblos in Cartago Province. The attitudes of leaders and community members toward traditional medicine were examined. Also, a local women's group involved in growing medicinal plants was observed. Many other factors were compared to medicinal plant use and knowledge such as age, education, years of residency, place of residency and affluence. In total, 67 plants were collected and identified. Community members believed strongly in traditional medicine, but this was not necessarily true of community leaders or the institutions they represented. It was found that the people of the pueblos had a relatively high knowledge of medicinal plants but that this knowledge was being lost. The knowledge was found to be spread through the community through a complicated social network. It was also discovered that use between the two pueblos differed greatly and the reasons for this are explored. Finally, recommendations are given on possibilities for encouraging the use of medicinal plants in the area. Demark, Lesli, "The Nutritional Value of Olive Ridley Sea Turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea) Eggs in the People's Diets of Ostional in Relation to their Health, Social Status, and Total Nutritional Intake." Adv. Claudette Mo. Beloit. 1994. 22 pp. From March through April of 1994, I studied the nutritional value of turtle eggs in the people's diets in relation to their health, social status, and total nutritional intake, at Ostional Wildlife Refuge. Ostional is one of the most credible beaches in the world for the olive ridley sea turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea), located on the Pacific Coast, Guanacaste province, county of Santa Cruz. Information on the health and social status of the people was found by conducting interviews. The diet of person in the randomly selected families was determined by weighing their food intake for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. This study reveals that differences between the low, medium, and high income group health is related to their diet. Graphs and tables show the amounts and percentages of nutritional intake that each person received for all meals in one day, and the differences between health, social status, and turtle egg consumption. This research suggests that the turtle eggs contribute to the people's diets of Ostional, but does not provide all the nutrients needed to fulfill a well-balanced diet. |
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Erb, Christopher, "Cumplimiento de los propósitos del Carné de salud del niño." Adv. Freddy Ulate Mora. Colorado. 1996. 78pp. A study was conducted of the Carné de Salud del Niño, an official document that is given to mothers of newborns in the maternity ward of the hospital, in the community of Guápiles, province of Limón, Costa Rica. The fulfillment of the goals of the Carné was evaluated through interviews designed to characterize its utilization in the visits to the hospital and health clinic and the mothers' level of knowledge about the information presented in the Carné and health records of their children. Thirty-five mothers, eight nurses and three doctors were interviewed in the hospital and health clinic in Guápiles. Three teachers were also interviewed in order to evaluate the use of the Carné in educational intitutions. The use of the Carné was found to be minimal in the hospital, health clinic and the schools. The mothers' knowledge of the technical information presented in the Carné, as well as their ability to remember the specific information about their children, was found to be very low. Several recommendations are presented to help increase the utilization of the Carné in the health institutions, and to aid the mothers in understanding the Carné and using it to better manage the health of their children. Garton, Rachel, “Infant Mortality and Infant and Child Morbidity in the Guápiles Hospital, Guápiles District, Pococí County, Limón Province, Costa Rica.” Adv. Dr. Freddy Ulate. Colorado. 1999. 71pp. This study profiles infant mortality and infant and childhood morbidity in 1998 for the Guápiles Hospital in Pococí County, Costa Rica, researched in March and April of 1999. The objective of this investigation was to provide knowledge on the principal causes and secondary classifications for infant mortality and neonatal, infant and child morbidity in 1998, to conduct a nutritional and anaemia survey, and to characterize emergency visits for children during the research time. Details on specific causes are included as well as frequency distributions for grand groups of causes and other categorical information between age groups, including nutrition and anaemia. The data collected reflects the decreasing rate of infant mortality at the local level, the consistency with national tendencies of morbidity during the decade, and the increasing rate of anaemia in children in marginal-urban and rural zones, among other trends. The collected information provides a tool for public medical-health care as a form of general knowledge, and targets reform for the local and national level. Holmes, Toby, "Health Care in Costa Rica: National Health Care Program, Case-studies in Puerto Viejo, Limón and Alta-Talamanca." Adv. Diane Applebaum. Grinnell. 1992. 73pp. This study is the result of two months of investigation in the region of Talamanca. It describes the national health care system and rural health care in Talamanca. The coastal community of Puerto Viejo is observed as well as two communities in Alta-Talamanca, comparing the differences in the health services provided and the health conditions in the separate communities. The puesto de salud in Puerto Viejo has not been open for three years. The demand for health services have increased in the area and it is imperative that the puesto be reopened soon. The communities of Alta-Coén and San José Cabécar, however, do not have access to any health services. Future medical expeditions to Alta-Talamanca will be necessary to continue monitoring the health conditions of the communities and to provide health care and education. Howell, Holly, "Health Promoting Schools: An Evaluation of the Initiative in Guatuso, Costa Rica." Emory University. 2006. This research evaluates the application of the WHO Health-Promoting Schools Initiative in a Costa Rican school district. Research took place in Guatuso, Costa Rica during March and April 2006. Evaluates the three components of the Initiative: in-school health services, physically and psychologically healthy school environment, and comprehensive health education. Methods included observation, informal and formal interviews, and surveys. Suggested improvements include adding more fruits and vegetables to school lunches, finding new means of trash disposal, building more gymnasiums, teaching about the consequences of lifestyle choices, and teaching sex education and substance education more comprehensively and beginning at an earlier age. Possible areas of future research include school psychosocial services, connection between condition of school and enthusiasm of staff, and the methods used for teaching health education. Huebsch, Rachel, "The Psychosocial Causes of Overweight and Obesity Among Preadolescents of Liberia, Costa Rica." Advisor: Hilda Núñez. Grinnell College. 2004. 62pp. This study was conducted to investigate the psychosocial causes of overweight and obesity among preadolescents of Liberia, Costa Rica. Participants included were the following: sixty-nine, nine and ten year old, fourth grade students of the Escuela Ascensión Esquivel in Liberia and twenty one of their mothers. Twenty-four preadolescents were overweight, BMI > 85th percentile, and forty-five were of normal weight, BMI < 85th percentile. Body Mass Index classifications are derived from the age and height percentiles for children from the Center for Disease Control in the United States. The possible causes of overweight status in preadolescents investigated included genetic effects (mother's weight status) and environmental effects (initial and current eating habits, abnormal eating behavior, and activity level). The secondary effects of self-esteem on overweight status were also investigated through maternal affirmations and level of authoritarian parenting as well as from child body confidence rankings. No gene effect was found. Accordingly, environmental effects were more influential in causing the high rate (35%) of overweight among preadolescents. The vast majority, 72% of overweight preadolescents and only 20% of normal weight preadolescents were fed a solid food during the first three months of infancy. A significant relation (X^2 = 4.86, df = 1, p < .0275) was found between preadolescent overweight status and having attempted weight loss. Also, all preadolescents who had previously attempted weight loss had a weight loss plan for the future. Overweight preadolescents received a much greater degree of authoritarian parenting than did normal weight preadolescents and this relation was strongest in the areas of parental control of eating and weight. Body dissatisfaction was much greater among overweight than normal weight preadolescents. Peer opinions of overweight children were mostly negative, which will be detrimental to the self-esteem of these overweight children during adolescence. Given the high prevalence of overweight and obesity among the preadolescents in Liberia and the strength of many shared environmental factors causing overweight and obesity, it would be beneficial to develop an overweight and obesity prevention program for preadolescents. Knoll, Carrie, "The Knowledge and Practice of Oral Health Behaviors in the Rural Community of San Vito de Coto Brus, Puntarenas, Costa Rica." Adv. Patricia Ovares Saballos. Coe. 1996. 85pp. A study about general oral health practices and knowledge was conducted in the area of San Vito de Coto Brus, Punta Arenas in southern Costa Rica. One-hundred ninety seven persons visiting the dental department in the hospital of San Vito were interviewed using a standard interview. Results of the study revealed that the persons interviewed tended towards good dental health practices, though the use of dental floss, fluoride, and an effective brushing method were not reported used often and few people reported visiting the dentist at least twice per year. Questions about dental health knowledge produced less positive results. A large percentage of the people interviewed reported not knowing the answers to these questions. This occurred more frequently with questions referring to the gums than with questions referring to the teeth. Knoll, Julia, "Cumplimiento de los Objetivos de Utilización del Carné de Salud del Niño en una Comunidad Rural de Costa Rica." Adv. Freddy Ulate Mora. Macalester. 1996. 62pp. A study was conducted to evaluate the use of the Carné de Salud del Niño in the rural communities of Chachagua, district of Peñas Blancas, county of San Ramón and La Fortuna, district of La Fortuna, county of La Fortuna, both in the province of Alajuela, Costa Rica. The Carné de Salud del Niño is a document published by the two national health care agencies in Costa Rica, La Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social and the Ministerio de Salud. It is distributed to every mother upon giving birth. Thirty mothers from the two communities were interviewed as well as the nurses from the health center in Chachagua, the clinic in La Fortuna, and the San Carlos Hospital in Ciudad Quesada. The purpose of the project was to find out if the objectives of the Carné were being fulfilled and to provide recommendations as to how to improve the use of the Carné. The study found that the objectives of the Carné are not being fulfilled, nor is it being used to its full capacity in the health centers and hospital. It was also found that even though the mothers know that the Carné is a very important official document, they don´t understand it well, nor do they make full use of it. Finally, a list of recommendations developed during the research process is presented, offering suggestions as to how the use of the Carné can be improved. |
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Mahler, Diana, "Knowledge and Ideas about Chagas Disease in Getsemaní, Costa Rica and the Consequent Development of Sustainable Community Interventions." Advisor: Germana Sánchez. Emory University. 2004. 30. Chagas Disease is a parasitic disease caused by Trypanasoma cruzi, which in Costa Rica has only one vector, the Triatoma dimidiata, or more commonly, the chinche or chupasangre (blood sucker). Getsemaní of Heredia was one of five towns of Costa Rica identified for problems of this vector and Chagas Disease. For the project, under the INCIENSA, I lived in Getsemaní for two months studying the presence of the illness. Through interviews and observations, it was noted that although many people have heard of the illness, or know that chinches can transmit a disease, the majority did not have a lot of information. Therefore, many are scared. With the information obtained, a community meeting was organized to educate the community about the illness and methods to control it. Also, the school was visited to educate the children. With the idea of future continuation of the project, a group of volunteers was organized. It is hoped that the community will continue to fight against Triatoma dimidiata and Chagas, and that the government of Costa Rica will take necessary measures to control this serious problem. Malmgren, Leslie, "The Usage of Medicinal Plants in the Treatment of Childhood Diseases and Where it May Lead to in the Future: Evidence from the Rural Health Center in Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí." Adv. Dr. Freddy Ulate Mora. Lake Forest College. 1995. 50pp. This investigation focused on medicinal plant usage to cure childhood diseases and its relation to the public health care available in the rural community of Puerto Viejo. Research was completed through structured interviews during March and April of 1995 among the patients and doctors at the health center and at a local medicinal plant organization called MUSA. The results demonstrate that of the families that visit the health center, a mere 39% use medicinal plants while the other 61% rely on public health care. With regard to the medicinal plant usage, this paper documents fifteen different plants used to cure the nine most common childhood illnesses and in addition, lists other commonly used plants in the region. The results of the study suggest that medicinal plant knowledge is rapidly being replaced by modern medicine. Presently, there is a need to preserve traditional medical practices as well as document the remedies and prevent their extinction. Murphy, John, "Structure, Function and Performance of the Puriscal-Turrubares EBAIS, 1997" Adv. Leonardo Mata. St. Olaf. 1997. 18pp. This paper describes the Equipos Básicos de Atención Integral de Salud, EBAIS (Basic Teams for Holistic Health Care) of the municipalities of Puriscal and Turrubares during March and April of 1997. The EBAIS are a new health care system, developed as a response to the crisis in the health sector, and have not been well evaluated by an independent, extramural observer. This study had two primary goals: a) to find if the EBAIS are favored over the preceding system; and b) to see if there are significant variations in the quality of health care between the EBAIS units of the area. This observational study involved the distribution of questionnaires among beneficiaries, focusing on the quantification of several aspects of the health care service. Questionnaires were applied to adult users of six of the nine EBAIS units after their consultation with the doctor. One week was spent in each EBAIS studied. Significant variations in the level of satisfaction with the health care were encountered between users of the clinics; the rural EBIAS were rated considerably better than the EBAIS of the Puriscal Clinic of urban Santiago. The EBAIS were convincingly preferred over the preceding health care program by the rural population. However, they were not rated better than the preceding system by users of the Santiago clinic. This study will be a resource for improvement of the EBAIS, and provides a basis for further investigation of the system. Olson, Maren E., "Prueba de un Sistema de Vigiliancia de Salud Escolar en Pacayas, Costa Rica." Adv. Freddy Ulate Mora. St. Olaf College. 1997. 24pp. A pilot study was conducted to test a model of a system of vigilance of student health. The study took place in a primary school of 495 students located in Pacayas, Cartago -- a rural area of Costa Rica. The instruments and strategies of the system were evaluated through the collection of data regarding the students´ weight and size at birth, APGAR, current weight and height, along with data on morbility and mortality in the student population, knowledge of health matters, and security and hygiene in the school environment. The usefulness of the system was demonstrated through its recollection of data applicable both on the level of the individual student and the school community. The system was successful and it is recommended that it be further tested, eventually expanding converage to include the entire country. Palsgrove, Patrick, "A Study of the Natural Habitat and Popular Use of the Medicinal Plant, Gavilana (Neurolaena lobata)." Adv. Pablo Sánchez. Grinnell. 1994. 23pp. During March and April of 1994, the use of the medicinal plant, gavilana, was studied in the town of Las Horquetas de Sarapiquí, Costa Rica, and the habitat of the plant was analyzed in a Bioforest Reserve two kilometers west of the town. By interviewing inhabitants about the use, preparation, dosage, side effects, and location of gavilana, information concerning this natural medication has been recorded to expand the knowledge of medicinal plant use within Costa Rica. In addition, 61 fifteen by fifteen meter plots were created in the secondary forest of Bioforesta and the number of Neurolaena lobata and several physical properties of the plant such as height, canopy area, and stem diameter were recorded. These variables were then compared to different environmental characteristics such as the light level of each plot, gradation of each plot, and mineral content, porosity, pH, and moisture content of the soil in four study site zones. Thus, an ideal habitat was found for the possible cultivation of this important medicinal plant. Phinney, Elizabeth, "A Look at Health Care in an Indigenous Community." Adv. Marcos Guevara. Beloit. 1991. 36pp. This study is based on two months of qualitative research in Coroma, an indigenous community in the Talamanca region of Costa Rica. It is a descriptive work of the practices, beliefs and conditions that surround health care. I discovered a duality within the utilization of health systems, between traditional medicine and occidental medicine. This duality was found as well in the beliefs of the causes of illnesses. Potential health care risks were noted, many of which are the result of changing living conditions caused by decreasing land base and increasing population. There exists a strong tendency to use curative medicine, but some preventative medicinal practices are present. Further projects and/or education must acknowledge the duality of systems and respect and incorporate traditional indigenous beliefs. |
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Potasek, Aimee L., "Antecedentes de Salud de los Niños y Niñas Escolares in Chachagua, Costa Rica". Adv. Dr. Freddy Ulate Mora. St. Olaf. 1998. 78pp. The antecedents of the new born child, the nutritional state and completion of vaccinations of children in the school Procopio Gamboa V. Chachagua, located in the county of San Ramon, in the province Alajuela, were evaluated. In the hospital Dr. Carlos Luis Volverde Vega in San Ramon, the state of prenatal care, birth and postnatal care of a group of mothers and their recently born children was described. From the Carnet de Salud del Niño the characteristics of the pregnancy and childbirth, and the conditions of the students at birth (their weight, height and APGAR) along with the completion of their vaccinations was obtained. The description of the recently born babies was obtained through a process of interviews with the mothers. Resch, Emily, "The Utilization of Modern Health Care and Popular Traditional Medicine Within Communities of Matina, Costa Rica." Advisor: Rafael Ocampo. St. Olaf. 2004. 26pp. This research project summarizes the common illnesses and the utilization of the allopathic and traditional medicine within six rural communities in Matina County, Limón over the duration of a two-month study in March and April of 2004. Before entering the field, it was hypothesized that people would use medicinal plants for the most common ailments before attending the EBAIS clinic for medical attention and that people of an older age would utilize medicinal plants more frequently than younger patients. Data was collected through the use of surveys completed with the patients present at the EBAIS clinics, visits to the houses, and observations of the EBAIS and of the community. Through the investigation I gained an understanding of the frequency and for what illnesses rural populations access the public health system, and what medicinal plants they incorporate from their own indigenous and Caribbean culture. The most common health problem involved the respiratory system, accounting for 18.4% of the medical cases realized by the study. Of the people that used medicinal plants before attending the clinic, the oldest age group (patients over 40 years of age) used more frequently, and Sorosí (Momordica charantia) was most commonly used. I generally found that there is relatively little use of medicinal plants for the most common illnesses and that the utilization of popular traditional medicine is gradually decreasing. Schupp, Jessica, "Aspects of Health and Living Conditions of Children and Their Families in Indigenous Cabécar Communities in Costa Rica, Central America." Advisor: Freddy Ulate. St. Olaf. 2005. 50pp. The research conducted involved the study of the health and living situations of indigenous communities in the Cantón of Matina. Research was conducted by visiting various health sites where medical attention was received in these communities with a medical team based out of the Clinic of Batán during the months of March and April, 2005. Health and living conditions can be directly influenced by other factors such as social, economic and cultural aspects. Further knowledge of the subject of health and living conditions in these communities can facilitate the proposal of solutions and better understanding of why certain aspects can be found in this population. Research was conducted through observation and photography, interviews and information taken from different types of documents pertaining to the population of interest. Principal problems that were discovered included pregnancy in adolescent women (which is not necessarily considered a problem in the communities themselves), poor living conditions (which can further lead to disease because of contaminated water and bathroom facilities), and a low number of women completing pelvic exams because of lack of education, restriction from husbands/partners, and/or lack of a female doctor to administer these exams. Stewart, Joanna, "Traditional Use of Healing Plants in Pital de San Carlos: Social, Medicinal, and Botanical Implications." Adv. Dr. Carlos Valerio. Colorado College. 1995. 45pp. The use of medicinal plants by a "médico sin título" and an ex-midwife/soba healer was studied over a two month period in Pital de San Carlos, Costa Rica. Observation of patients treated in the homes of these two informants was made, including patient description, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment prescribed. The preparation of the plant medicines used was studied and documented, as was the healing massage technique used by the ex-midwife. Samples of 58 plant species used in the area were collected, the ones observed being employed in medicines were pressed and identified, and drawings were made of all species. Emphasis was put on the conservation of the remaining forest in the area and its importance in sustaining the supply of medicinal plant species. Weeks, Anthony, "Strategies for Survival: Community Involvement and Adaptation Skills for the Improvement of Health and Nutrition in Garabito, Costa Rica." Adv. Francisco Escobar. Grinnell. 1990. 20pp. This investigation, conducted during the months of March, April, and May 1990, explores the relationship between the community of Garabito and three programs of the Costa Rican Ministry of Health: Atención Primaria, Centers of Education and Nutrition (CEN), and Environmental Health. The study focused on Garabito as an economically, politically, and socially marginalized community. Furthermore, the project delineated the special health and nutrition needs of the community as a result of its marginalized status. The major significance of this exercise is that the operation of the community of Garabito is not pathological in regard to its health and nutrition problems. The project attempts to demonstrate the various adaptation skills and survival strategies employed by the residents of Garabito in response to the inadequacies of the Ministry of Health. These strategies include participation in health education classes, the use of kinship ties to expand the household resource base, and the solicitation of food donations by community members when there was a serious lack of food in the Centers of Education and Nutrition. Winsley, Dana, "Maternal Care in Garza, a Rural Community on the Nicoya Peninsula, Guanacaste." Adv. Connie and Jim Weil. Grinnell. 1994. 27pp. This report concerns women's experiences with prenatal care and childbirth in Garza, Guanacaste. Garza is a two hour bus ride over a bumpy road to the nearest reliable medical care -- the hospital in Nicoya. Data from the first round of interviews for the Weil census of 1993/1994 were analyzed to discern patterns in both the community of birth and whether births occurred at home or in a hospital. Women in Garza were interviewed about their prenatal care and childbirth experiences. A tour of the Hospital de la Anexión in Nicoya and hospital statistics for 1993 help place information from Garza in a broader context. Witt, Carey, "Knowledge and Attitudes about AIDS in Adolescents in a Rural Tourist Community in Costa Rica." Adv. Freddy Ulate Mora. Ripon. 1996. 94pp. Interviews were done in the Colegio Tecnico Profesional de La Fortuna, Cost Rica, in order to assess what the adolescents knew about AIDS, their opinions with regards to AIDS, and their perception of risk. This study is unique because the population was representative of both rural Costa Rica and a typical tourist town. It was discovered that the students as a whole knew that AIDS is sexually transmitted by a virus and can be prevented be using condoms. However, they were less sure about other fundamental facts, principally, what the letters AIDS and HIV mean, that HIV is the AIDS virus rather than AIDS itself, and that AIDS is not transmitted by casual contact. Therefore it is obvious that preliminary education about the prevention of AIDS has been implimented with some success. But, that the females students knew generally less than their male classsmates, points to the need for re-evaluating the teaching methods used, in order to reach 100% of this vulnerable population. In addition, to prepare the students for a future in which this disease will be more widespread, as is inevitable, AIDS education needs to be taken beyond prevention to knowing how AIDS is not transmitted in order to avoid the prejudice and panic that is born from ignorance. Finally, as all adolescents, the students in La Fortuna had the attitude, "a mí no me va a pasar" (It´s not going to happen to me). This more than anything makes them at risk. |
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Ziegenfuss, Jeanette, "Growth and Physical Development in a Public Elementary School, Pacayas, Costa Rica." Adv. Dr. Freddy Ulate Mora. Macalester. 1998. 25pp. Various aspects of growth and physical development were studied at the Elementary school in Pacayas, Costa Rica, a rural town on the outskirts of the central valley area, in the province of Cartago. Measurements of weight and height were used to classify nutritional state and physical growth. The National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) indices of height/age, weight/height, and the Body Mass Index (weight/height2) were used as references. The population has a high percent of overweight students (19.0%) and children with below average height (18.3%.) The teachers' perceptions of the nutritional condition and physical growth of the students were compared to the data collected. The percent of overweight students and students short for their age were underestimated while underweight and students tall for their age were overestimated. Parents' heights of a sample group of students were obtained in order to calculate the genetic growth potential of their children. Comparing present heights, 64.8% of the sample are on track to be equal or superior to their genetic potential, while 35.1% are destined to be inferior to the height possible under satisfactory growth conditions. Using the Status Quo method, the average age of menarche is 11.8 (0.6 SD.) Using the recall method it is 11.4 (SD 0.4.) Seven percent of the students were born with a low birth weight (<2500 grams.) Only 2.3% of the students had their growth curve in their Carnet de Salud del Niño completed. Health education and attitudes were investigated using a questionnaire. Similar aspects of health were surveyed at the Center for Education and Nutrition in the community. The main nutritional concern is obesity and its lack of acknowledgment in the community. Recommendations are included. |
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