Crack consumption among women in vulnerability situation in Santos metropolitan region: a qualitative study on the phenomenon

• Grant number: 12/16756-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: April 01, 2013
• End date: February 28, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Collective Health - Public Health
• Principal Investigator: Adriana Marcassa Tucci
• Grantee: Fernanda de Souza Ramiro
• Host Institution: Instituto de Saúde e Sociedade (ISS). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus Baixada Santista. Santos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The crack consumption has been shown to be a public health problem in recent times, given the complexities and vulnerabilities that underlie its use, and the difficulty of implementing public policies effectives focused on this problem. There was an aggravation of this situation with the entry of more expressive number of women in the culture of crack use, which became a greater vulnerable group due to the exchange of sex for crack or money to get the drug, what expose themselves to a greater risk of contracting and transmitting STDs/SIDA. Aim: To understand the perception of women, in vulnerable situation, about the crack consumption in Santos Metropolitan Region. Methods: A sample will be made by an intentional criteria through a qualitative methodology. The final number of the sample will be detected when the interviews reaches the redundancy and no new information be discovered. The participants in the study will be women, in vulnerable situation, aged 18 or older who are consuming crack in Santos Metropolitan Region. The data collection instrument will be a semi-structured interview, in-depth, targeted by a semi-structured script. The interviews will be recorded and transcribed and later, the data will be analyzed through an exhaustive reading. From the perspective of a qualitative approach, the values, beliefs and perceptions of individuals about the phenomenon will be investigated. The result of this study may assist in the implementation of new forms of intervention and treatment in relation to women crack users in vulnerable situations.