Imunização e educação: um estudo sobre as abordagens no ensino das vacinas para alunos do 7o ano em uma escola Municipal de Conceição do Almeida-Bahia

Abstract

Vaccines are used to prevent and control infectious diseases, but challenges such as the spread of false information and resistance to vaccination pose obstacles to immunization. In the school environment, the role of teachers is to inform and educate students about the importance of vaccines, particularly Science and Biology teachers who incorporate this knowledge into their pedagogical practices. Given this, the objective of this study was to understand students' perceptions of vaccines and the educational practices developed by Science teachers in teaching the topic of immunization in a 7th-grade class at a school in the Municipal Education System of Conceição do Almeida-BA. To pursue this purpose, the study explored the definition, origin, production process, and categories of vaccines; the vaccination policy in Brazil; the importance of the national vaccination schedule for adolescents; analyzed the role of the school and teachers in teaching about vaccines; and presented the common national curriculum base (BNCC). The study adopted a qualitative approach, using semi-structured interviews and semi-open questionnaires as the main data collection instruments, applied to fifty (50) students and four (4) Science teachers from 7th-grade classes at a school in Conceição do Almeida-BA. The data were interpreted using content analysis by Gil (2008) and discussed in light of the theoretical and contextual framework. Throughout the study, it was found that vaccination in Brazil stood out with the creation of the National Immunization Program (PNI) and vaccination campaigns, but the country faces a decline in vaccination rates, which contributes to the resurgence of controlled diseases. The results revealed different perceptions and knowledge of students and teachers about vaccines. It was inferred that most students recognize the importance of vaccination, but there are gaps in knowledge about preventable diseases and the vaccination schedule. It was found that teachers understand the importance of their role in teaching about vaccines and the need to adapt pedagogical approaches and teaching materials to contextualize it. However, the lack of adequate and updated resources on immunization makes it difficult to transmit knowledge on the subject. In conclusion, the results indicate that students have different levels of knowledge about vaccines, that teachers use various approaches and practices to teach and raise awareness among students about immunization, and that it is necessary to improve pedagogical strategies to increase students' understanding of immunization and promote greater awareness of the importance of vaccines for public health.