A Esquistossomose no espaço urbano e sua relação com as variáveis socioeconômicas e ambientais: um estudo em Montes Claros/MG

Abstract

The scenario of waterborne diseases, due to several factors related to basic sanitation, has been a constant concern of society and environmental agencies. Therefore, it is necessary to investigate and provide information about the areas of occurrence of such diseases, especially schistosomiasis and the variables that interfere with its incidence. In this sense, this paper aimed to know the relationship between migrations and basic sanitation in order to understand the aspects that favor the manifestation of schistosomiasis, in the Santos Reis Planning Region in Montes Claros-MG. The city of Montes Claros is located in an endemic region for several parasites, among them, waterborne diseases such as schistosomiasis. Due to the urbanization pattern, the schistosomiasis is endemic and more concentrated in the northwest region of the city, where many residents use water contaminated by cercariae in consequence of unsastifactory housing and sanitation. In order to respond to the research objectives, bibliographical and cartographic research was carried out on the subject in question. Data collection using the sources such as Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ), Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), World Health Organization (WHO), Centro de Controle de Zoonose de Montes Claros (CCZ), Companhia de Saneamento de Minas Gerais (COPASA), among others, was also carried out. After some researches, a field research was carried out in Santos Reis Planning Region with interviews based on the socioeconomic characteristics of the population and environmental fragility, factors that facilitate the spread and permanence of this parasitosis in the region and surrounding areas, confirming the high rate of the endemic disease. At the end of the approaches carried out throughout the study, it is concluded that, besides the rapid urban expansion of the city of Montes Claros in recent decades, especially the northwest region of the city, with the arrival of migrants and the lack of specific public policies to these expanding areas, mainly in relation to basic sanitation infrastructure and social and economic development, the need for greater attention to problems related to public health was confirmed, justifying the importance of this research.