EAT UFSC: New group founded in a tobacco-producing region

adminNo CommentsUncategorized

EAT UFSC was recently founded at Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC), Araranguá campus, Brazil. Our interview with the group leaders, Josiane and Prof. Roger, follows below.

1.       Josiane, please introduce yourself and tell us what motivated you to found EAT at UFSC.

I am Josiane, a first year medical student at UFSC Araranguá. I got to know EAT earlier this year through colleagues from other colleges and immediately became interested in the project. Unfortunately, I have seen many cases of young people using tobacco and I believe that this is a social and health problem that needs to be tackled.

2.       The School of Medicine at UFSC – ARARANGUÁ has been founded recently. In this particular scenario, do you think EAT can contribute to shape the medical formation locally?

The medical school in Araranguá was founded in 2018. Our city is in the extreme south of Santa Catarina, in a region where tobacco is produced. In this scenario, EAT is a project that can help us, as students and future doctors, to better understand the problems in the region and to act effectively.

3.       Josiane, it’s the first time that we will have an EAT group in the State of Santa Catarina. What is the smoking prevalence in your state and in your city among adolescents?

We are glad to be the first EAT in Santa Catarina. Our state has a prevalence of smoking above the national average, about 17% of young people.

4.       Prof. Roger, you are the first nurse to become an EAT-Brazil academic mentor. We are extremely honored to see your brilliant engagement in the project. Please tell us a bit about you. How do you feel about the EAT project in Araranguá and what do you expect from it?

I am happy and grateful for participating in the project. It is an ethical commitment in the face of a social problem of high magnitude. I hope that we can offer comprehensive health education practices to students, transform the society that we are part of, reduce the rates of smoking and of diseases and deaths related to tobacco, and provide opportunities for critical and reflective debate on this problem.

More information about EAT UFSC: https://educationtobacco.org/brazil-ufsc-ararangua/

More information about EAT-Brazil: https://educationtobacco.org/brazil/