Revista Brasileira em Promoção da Saúde (Oct 2018)

Social participation of food and nutrition security counselors

  • Bruna Emanuele Pereira Cardoso ,
  • Ivonete Moura Campelo ,
  • Edna Maria Guedes Aguiar,
  • Suzana Maria Rebêlo Sampaio da Paz ,
  • Lídia Raquel de Sousa Rocha,
  • Marize Melo dos Santos 

DOI
https://doi.org/10.5020/18061230.2018.7688
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 31, no. 3
pp. 1 – 8

Abstract

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Objective: To know the sociodemographic profile and social participation of food and nutrition security counselors. Methods: Cross-sectional study conducted with members of municipal councils and the state council for food and nutrition security of Piauí, Brazil, between 2016 and 2017. A questionnaire was applied for identification of sex, age, schooling, skin color/race, and level of representation; segment and entity represented by them; time of participation in the Food and Nutrition Security National Council (CONSEA); theoretical-political training in food and nutrition security (FNS). The software Stata® was used to organize and analyze data. Variables were presented in numbers and proportions. For association between the variables, Pearson's chi-square test or Fisher's exact test was used, when appropriate, considering the tests with p-value ≤ 0.05 as statistically significant. Results: The study found 117 councilors from 16 municipalities and the (state) CONSEA. The majority were female (69.2%, n = 81), aged between 40 and 59 years (45.3%; n = 53). Moreover, 64.1% (n = 75) attained higher education, 87.2% (n = 102) worked in urban areas, and 35% (n = 41) had been working for the councils for 4 to 6 years. There was a statistically significant association (p=0.056) between participation in conferences and confidence in CONSEA's representation. Conclusion: There was a higher prevalence of female counselors, aged between 40 and 59 years, with higher education, from urban area and working for the CONSEA for 4 to 6 years. In addition, there was a high level of insecurity about CONSEA's representation associated with low participation in conferences.

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