[Ethnographic research: the beginning of understanding]

[Perception of parents about second hand smoke on the health of their children: an ethnographic study]

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the perception of parents about secondhand smoking in their children's health.

METHODS

Ethnographic qualitative and quantitative study. We sought the point of view and understanding of the parents that were active smokers in relation to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) and secondhand smoking. Mothers and fathers who are active smokers and that live with their children from seven different public schools in the city of Anápolis, Midwest Brazil, were interviewed in the first semester of in a reserved room in the schools. A descriptive and qualitative analysis was carried out through the ethnography.

RESULTS

58 parents with an average time of smoking of 15.3 years and an average quantity of cigarettes smoked per day of 2 were interviewed. Among them, 59% didn't know what ETS was, and 60% stated knowing what a secondhand smoker was. However, when questioned about their children as secondhand smokers, 52% didn't consider them to be. Some parents knew some of the effects of secondhand smoking in the health of their children. However, the majority (52%) of them did not believe that their children would suffer any respiratory impairment or did not know about these impairments.

CONCLUSIONS

Children were exposed to Environmental Tobacco Pollution in their residence if one considers parental duration of smoking and average of cigarettes smoked per day. There was a lack of knowledge of the parents about ETS, secondhand smoking and the evils that cigarettes could cause in the health of their children.

Processo de enfermagem: seqüências no cuidar, fazem a diferença

A ênfase desta investigação qualitativa foi conhecer o sistema de significados, com valores e crenças, no confronto do enfermeiro com a nova proposta metodológica do cuidar, em Instituição Hospitalar, na ótica desse profissional. Na coleta de dados utilizou-se da entrevista etnográfica e a análise de dados foi fundamentada nos estudos de James Spradley. Na imersão dos dados e abordagem de inventário emergiu o tema: "Colocar seqüências no cuidar faz a diferença" configurando-se como o ponto central deste estudo. Esta pesquisa proporcionou oportunidades de refletir sobre e desvendar uma atividade ainda nebulosa e reticente no palco da enfermagem brasileira, no sentido de levar os atores-enfermeiros a uma nova perspectiva de compreensão e ação sobre a metodologia assistencial.