A questão da mulher e a Aids: novos olhares e novas tecnologias de prevenção The issue of the woman and Aids: new views and new technologies of prevention

A aids cresce em cifras no Brasil e no mundo. No mundo todo, cerca de 42 milhões de pessoas são soropositivas. Desde o início da década de 80 até setembro de 2003, foram notificados 277.154 casos de aids no Brasil. Atrás desses índices está uma triste realidade: a epidemia cresce 9 vezes mais entre as mulheres. São, no geral, jovens ou mulheres casadas ou que têm relacionamento fixo, sem comportamento promíscuo e que contraíram o vírus dentro de "casa". Junto à descoberta da contaminação pelo vírus, vem a dolorosa verdade da traição do parceiro, a implacável confirmação da fragilidade da relação conjugal vivida, mas principalmente, a morte do mito do amor ideal, guardado numa aliança ou numa união estável. Cada vez mais, vidas femininas são ceifadas assim, com essa história de amor incondicional relativo ao parceiro e total ausência de amor próprio. Devoção de um lado e negligência de outro. Mais do que uma suposta questão filosófica, antropológica ou ontológica, creio que, diante dos números apresentados, o baixo auto-cuidado feminino trata-se de um problema de saúde pública. Mas o que temos feito em termos de prevenção a Aids diante do segmento feminino e suas demandas? Na oportunidade deste relato, teceremos considerações sobre como nós, profissionais de saúde, podemos contribuir na gestão e desenvolvimento de novos programas e tecnologias de prevenção que alcancem o universo feminino e efetivamente desviem-no do comportamento de risco.<br>HIV grows in numbers in Brazil and around the world. In the whole world, about 42 millions people are HIV positive. Since the beginning of the 80's until September of 2003, there were 277.154 cases of HIV confirmed in Brazil. Behind those rates there is a sad reality: the epidemy grows at a rate 9 times higher among women. They are, in general, youngsters or married women or women with stable relationships, without promiscuous behavior and that acquired the virus inside their "home". Along with the discovery of the contamination caused by the virus, comes the painful truth of the betrayal of the partner, the implacable confirmation of the fragility of the conjugal relationship experienced, but mainly, the death of the ideal love myth, kept in an alliance or in a stable union. Each time more, feminine lives are reaped like this, with this story of unconditional love relative to the partner and total absence of self-esteem. Devotion, on one side and negligence, on another. More than a supposed philosophical, anthropological or ontological issue, I believe that in face of the numbers presented, the low feminine self-care is linked to a of public health problem. In this article, we will weave considerations about how we, health professionals can contribute to the management and development of new programs and prevention technologies that reach the feminine universe and effectively deviate it from the risk behavior

Problems of realism and theorization in social research and Social Work

This article analyzes the problems of social research in Social Work. It discusses the naive position that leads to the supposition that professional intervention is immediate 'in the reality of problems'; and that which understands that theory possesses a true knowledge 'about reality', as if this would precede all knowledge. It defines research as social practice that has as its raison d'état the production of knowledge, while it inscribes itself in and feeds the political-cultural processes of production of social problems. For this reason, for Social Work, research is not equivalent to social diagnosis, but should be a continuous process that accompanies the development of any social project and professional practice. This requires a willingness to learn the profession (theoretical command, methodological-technical management and a questioning attitude), and to protect against the risks of the naturalization of the problems in which it is required to intervene, which can be caused by either a naive realism or theorization

The nature and specificity of Social Work: a challenge to be resolved. Reflections for the debate

This essay reflects on the conceptual maturation of the author after the systematization of his participation in various national and international academic events where he presented research about the theme. The purpose of the article is to contribute to the discussion about the nature and specificity of Social Work and clarify an old issue that has current importance as a continuing challenge. It emphasizes that the nature of Social Work is constituted by a set of elements that establish certain regularities that have supported its trajectory and cemented the professional identity. This specificity is understood as a distinctive element within the diversity of the social sciences and that there is a professional nature and specificity that establish the disciplinary identity

Live (and) to learn: an intervention for the active aging promotion

A intervenção aqui descrita teve como objetivo contribuir para o envelhecimento ativo de usuários de centros-dia/convívio para idosos, desenvolvendo harmoniosamente todas suas dimensões, visando que os utentes fossem autônomos, participativos e ativos. Recorrendo ao paradigma interpretativo-hermenêutico, apoiamo-nos num trabalho de investigação-ação participativa, construído e implementado em dois centros-dia/convívio do conselho da Póvoa de Lanhoso, distrito de Braga, Portugal, e que contou com um total de 25 usuários: 12 no centro de convívio A e 13 no centro de convívio B. O objetivo foi transversal a todas as atividades implementadas, tendo sido alcançado como revelam os resultados satisfatórios obtidos na avaliação da intervenção (e de cada uma das atividades). A avaliação contínua e final permitiu, igualmente, aferir que todas as atividades desenvolvidas foram do agrado dos usuários e que todas lhes possibilitaram novos conhecimentos que os ajudaram na sua vida diária, aumentando, consequentemente, sua qualidade de vida e tornando-os mais autônomos, participativos e ativos.The intervention here described aimed to contribute to the harmonious development of senior users of day centers in all their personal dimensions so that they become autonomous, participative and active. Using interpretative-hermeneutic paradigm, we rely on a participatory action research, built and implemented in two day centers in the county of Póvoa de Lanhoso, district of Braga, Portugal, which had a total of 25 users: 12 in the social center A and 13 in the social center B. That objective crossed all the implemented activities and was achieved as shown by the good results obtained in the evaluation of the intervention (and each activity). Continuous and final evaluation provided also check that all activities carried out were liked by the persons; they also allowed to demonstrate that those persons produced new knowledge that helped them in their daily lives, increasing therefore their quality of life and making them more autonomous, participative and active