Percurso metodológico de ensaio comunitário controlado em serviço de saúde: pesquisa epidemiológica translacional em Nutrição

Abstract

Objectives: To discuss and exemplify the methodology of a translational epidemiological research in the area of Nutrition. Methodology: A randomized controlled community-based trial to encourage the consumption of fruits and vegetables in a representative sample of the Health Gym Program of Belo Horizonte, MG. Results and Discussion: The methodological course consisted of the following stages: 1) A liaison with managers and professionals of the service and community; 2) Control and quality assurance of data collection; 3) A community educational action based on the transtheoretical model of behavior change (TTM) and Paulo Freire’s dialogic and problematizing pedagogy; 4) Transfer to the community, managers and professionals. In the 18 centers investigated, 3,414 individuals were interviewed, a figure lower than that reported by local management (n = 5,778; -34.9%) and service center (n = 4,517; -16.7%). The majority were women, older adults with low schooling. The educational action included 540 workshops, 171 actions in the environment, distribution of 4,449 postcards and 1,483 participants, in order to reach the 1,483 participants in the intervention group. Search results were presented to the managers and banners were sent for discussion at the centers. Conclusions: This research showed that the accomplishment of translational population studies with quality is possible, being primordial the link with the service and the community, besides the continuous adaptation of its planning. It is intended, therefore, to provoke a reflection on the need of conducting studies on health care services, a scenario that has not yet been explored.