EXTENSIONIST PRACTICES ON PARASITES IN SCHOOLS IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF CÁCERES-MT

Abstract

Intestinal parasites, such as amoebiasis, continue to be an important public health problem, especially in places with poor basic sanitation and health education. In this context, the school constitutes a strategic environment for the development of educational actions aimed at promoting health and preventing these diseases. This work aimed to describe the teaching-learning process about intestinal parasites in two public schools in Cáceres/MT, evaluating the effectiveness of the interventions carried out by the extension project “Exploring the world of parasites: Education and Health in the Schools of Cáceres-MT”, from UNEMAT. This is a descriptive study, with a qualitative-quantitative approach, developed in June 2025, involving elementary school students from the Leopoldo and Tiradentes State Schools. Educational activities included expository lectures and playful practices, highlighting the dynamics of hand hygiene with paint and disposable gloves. After the interventions, a questionnaire with objective and descriptive questions was applied to assess the assimilation of content. The results showed an increase in students' knowledge about amoebiasis, its forms of transmission, symptoms and preventive measures. At Escola Leopoldo, the correct answers varied between 83.3% and 94.4%, while at Escola Tiradentes, there were 100% correct answers on objective questions. It is concluded that the methodologies used were effective in health education, favoring student engagement, the adoption of healthy habits and strengthening the school's role in promoting citizenship.