ASSESSMENT OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE POPULATION OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF ANANINDEUA-PA ABOUT THE OROPOUCHE VIRUS

Abstract

This article evaluated the level of knowledge of the population of Ananindeua-PA about the Oropouche virus, an emerging arboviral disease of public health relevance in the Amazon region. This is a cross-sectional, descriptive, and quantitative study, conducted through the application of a structured questionnaire in public settings, involving 384 participants aged 18 years or older. The data collection instrument contained 14 objective questions based on the Likert scale, addressing aspects related to knowledge of the virus, modes of transmission, prevention, and trust in healthcare professionals. The data obtained were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Spearman correlation. The results showed that, although 89.9% of the participants knew the transmitting vector, 86.8% were unaware of the Oropouche virus and 92.5% could not identify its modes of transmission and preventive measures. A positive association was also observed between higher levels of education and greater trust in healthcare professionals, especially pharmacists (rs = 0.4184). It is concluded that there is a significant information deficit in the studied population, reinforcing the need for ongoing educational strategies and information campaigns.