Abstract

CASTANHA, Alessandra Ramos  and  ARAUJO, Ludgleydson Fernandes de. Alcohol and communitarian agents of health: a study of the social representations. PsicoUSF [online]. 2006, vol.11, n.1, pp. 85-94. ISSN 1413-8271.

This research had as objective to verify the social representations of communitarian agents of health (ACS's) regard-ing the use of alcohol. Seventy ACS's residents of the city of Ipojuca-PE, including both male and female genders, and with average age of 26 years participated in this project. It was utilized as instruments semi-structured interviews and the Test of Free Association of Words. The data acquired by the interviews was categorized by the Bardin's analysis of thematic content (1977) whereas the data from the test of association was processed by the Tri-deux-mots software through the factorial analysis of correspondence. The data obtained from the ACS's made possible to represent the alcohol as a harmful drug for the health which can lead to death. Concerning the consequences on the user's life, the majority of the ACS's objectified the family problems resulting from alcohol abuse. In conclusion, there is a necessity of the formation of public health policies, including the fundamental role of the ACS's as social actors in the primary prevention of the abusive drug use within the Brazilian reality.

Keywords : Alcohol; Communitarian agents of health; Social representations.

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