Rural sanitation in schistosomiasis endemic areas: experience and learning process

摘要

Drawing on data from 25 interviews for the evaluation of the video: "Snail disease" in schistosomiasis endemic areas, this article is concerned with reports of rural experiences with sanitation and sewerage disposals. Negative popular experiences with pit latrines were reported, highlighting a problem with which health professionals in endemic areas will have to learn to deal. What is known in most rural areas as "sewerage system", provides no treatment of sewerage at all, but instead, a connection to empty directly into the rivers. For most interviewees this system is considered the best one, for it is the only alternative known for pit latrines. The learning process of illiterates tends towards the concrete way of thinking. Thus, there are practical concrete evidences of the advantages of the "sewerage system", which demands no costs and efforts for its construction and mantainance. By relating sewage disposal in natura and schistosomiasis, the video "Snail Disease" evoked sanitation issues' discussion in half of the interviews, while the other half focused strictly on the prevention of water contact. Eventhough, the chances for the discussion of sanitation to arise at the video's follow-up debates, to be conducted in the field, are considerably high.