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Promoting health in vulnerable communities: social technologies for poverty reduction and sustainable development

ABSTRACT

Objective

To report the experience of implementing social technologies in vulnerable communities to foster individual and community potential for health promotion, poverty reduction and sustainable development.

Method

The experience reports were collected from July 2010 to June 2015 with 200 individuals residing in vulnerable communities, in Bahia, Brazil. The experiences were reported in stages: 1) Awareness and diagnostics; 2) Workshops on different subjects; 3) Deployment of social technologies.

Results

The participants were notified of the importance of sustainable development and the environmental and health conditions were diagnosed. Actions for sustainable development were planned, with the implementation of acoustic artefacts (natural fibres) and experimental kitchens (homemade sweets).

Conclusions

Considering that health comprises actions that promote the quality of life, the use of social technologies favoured health promotion because they stimulated the potential of the participants. It also allowed the diversification of the community’s income source and sustainable development, which reduces poverty and fosters sustainability, quality of life and health promotion.

Millennium Development Goals; Science, technology and society; Low cost technology; Equity in health

Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul. Escola de Enfermagem Rua São Manoel, 963 -Campus da Saúde , 90.620-110 - Porto Alegre - RS - Brasil, Fone: (55 51) 3308-5242 / Fax: (55 51) 3308-5436 - Porto Alegre - RS - Brazil
E-mail: revista@enf.ufrgs.br