Educational/reflective workshops and the interface with health and the environment

Abstract

This experience report deals with reflexive/educational workshops developed in the project “The Interface between the Primary Care Network and the Environment”, of the Federal University of Pernambuco, Academic Center of Vitória, which had as target a group of elderly people, residents of the neighborhood of Maués, located in the city of Vitória de Santo Antão, in the countryside of Pernambuco. Twenty elderly people of both sexes participated in the group. Three environmental education group workshops were held, involving the following topics: waste destination, venomous animals, recycling and arboviruses, between April 2017 and January 2018. The the main queries raised by the elderly were addressed, which were clarified during the workshops, using a participatory strategy, associated with dynamic resources. The workshops showed an efficient awareness-raising strategy on the theme of Environment and Health. Reflections on the environmental problems of the daily life of the community were encouraged and the community was encouraged to play an important role in their self-care and care for the environment. They stimulated the actions of recycling, care with their waste production, as well as the importance of strengthening the social control.