Unicamp is participating in a survey that will evaluate how the new coronavirus has influenced the habits and behaviors of Brazilians in different areas. The study will also be conducted by the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz) and the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG). At the end of the survey, the researchers intend to describe how the pandemic, and consequently the period of social isolation, influenced people's routine in relation to factors such as work and income, domestic activities, physical and mental health status and habits such as eating, physical activities, smoking and consumption of alcoholic beverages.
The study consists of applying an online questionnaire, to be answered by people over 18 years of age, with questions about the participants' place of residence, age, income and education and information about what people's lives were like before the pandemic and the that the disease caused changes in different aspects. All information is confidential and participants are free not to answer questions they do not wish to.
The research will be coordinated by the researchers Celia Landmann Szwarcwald (Fiocruz), Deborah Carvalho Malta (UFMG) and Marilisa Berti de Azevedo Barros (Unicamp) and also includes the work of ten other researchers from the three institutions. According to Marilisa Barros, professor at the Faculty of Medical Sciences (FCM) from Unicamp and coordinator of the Collaborating Center for Health Situation Analysis (CCAS) from the university, the idea of carrying out the survey arose from the experience accumulated by the institutions of using population data to understand aspects of health. "Brazil has been developing household surveys as an important source of information about the population's health. In São Paulo, we have already participated in the Population-Based Health Survey project, ISA, together with USP and Unesp, and we have also carried out a study of the same type concentrated in Campinas, ISACamp", details the teacher.
The questionnaire is being distributed among the population, through the work of influential researchers, who will have the task of replicating the research to other researchers, taking it forward. However, the objective is for the research to reach people from all social strata, so that it is possible to understand the effects of the pandemic in a broad way. The expectation is that there will be around 7 thousand participations throughout the survey period, which will be available up to one month after the end of social isolation in all cities in the country.
Marilisa explains that there is still no defined criteria for how this data will be processed or which approach will be favored by each participating institution, the decision will depend on the need for studies on the changes caused by social isolation. However, the analyzes will take into account the socioeconomic level of the participants. She also comments on the possibility of analyzing more specific sections, such as in the State and the municipality. "We can delve deeper into the data from Campinas, or even São Paulo, but nothing is finalized yet. Our objective at the moment is to take a global look at the effects of the pandemic on the lives of Brazilians", explains Marilisa.
The questionnaire can be accessed through this link. On the website, it is also possible to download the research participation consent form and also access the contacts of the researchers involved in the study.
