While vector-borne diseases (VBDs) pose an important public health problem worldwide, there is a limited and conflicting knowledge about such illnesses in rural or urban settings. The present study aimed to explore the social representations (SRs) held by people in the state of Puebla, Mexico on insects and the diseases they transmit. Understood as the group of ideas held and shared by a group of human beings which enable them to understand and interpret the world, SRs constitute what could be called a collective science or knowledge of everyday life. The present study was conducted in six municipalities in the state of Puebla, wherein an open-ended questionnaire was applied with three age ranges. A total of 360 questionnaires were applied with people dedicated to a variety of activities. The survey data was analyzed to identify the SR’s structure (the central nucleus of the SR and its peripheral system) and the level of organization in order to explore the degree to which the ideas that constitute it are shared and based on consensus. To describe the structure of the SR, a network analysis was conducted and complemented by a correspondence analysis, which also enables the differences between social groups to be identified. Popular knowledge on insects and VBDs is often limited, even in communities in which more than one-vector insect is found. The elements that were most frequently mentioned in the data, as pertaining to the insect–disease relationship, were mosquitoes and dengue fever, with scorpions (which are arachnids and not insects) receiving the second-highest number of mentions, while other insects such as kissing bugs, flies, and cockroaches were also mentioned as transmitting VBDs. While television was the main information source on VBDs for the residents of these communities, biology books were also mentioned. Chemical control measures (insect repellents) were the most used prevention method, and traditional medicine was the remedy most commonly used to treat insect bites and transmitted diseases. Entomophobia was the main cause for the respondents’ fear and rejection of insects. Beyond the deleterious effects of many insects, those surveyed also recognized a positive relationship with insects due to economic and nutritional benefits they provide. The present study provides relevant information on how insects and the diseases they transmit are perceived by rural and urban communities. Although the population is aware of dengue fever and the role of mosquitoes in transmitting it, information campaigns are required for other historically neglected VBDs, such as leishmaniasis, Chagas disease, and, even, rickettsiosis. As it is important to understand the impact that these illnesses have on communities further research is required to ensure that better information and guidance is provided on VBDs in order to develop a culture of illness prevention in not only the rural but also the metropolitan communities of the state of Puebla.

中文翻译：

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墨西哥中部关于媒介传播疾病的知识、态度和做法

虽然病媒传播疾病 (VBD) 是世界范围内一个重要的公共卫生问题，但在农村或城市环境中，对此类疾病的了解有限且相互矛盾。本研究旨在探讨墨西哥普埃布拉州人民对昆虫及其传播疾病的社会表征 (SR)。SRs 被理解为一组人类持有和共享的一组思想，使他们能够理解和解释世界，构成了可以称为日常生活的集体科学或知识。本研究在普埃布拉州的六个城市进行，其中开放式问卷适用于三个年龄范围。总共有 360 份问卷被应用于致力于各种活动的人。对调查数据进行了分析，以确定 SR 的结构（SR 的中心核心及其外围系统）和组织级别，以探索构成它的想法的共享程度和基于共识的程度。为了描述 SR 的结构，进行了网络分析并辅以对应分析，这也可以识别社会群体之间的差异。关于昆虫和 VBD 的流行知识通常是有限的，即使在发现不止一种媒介昆虫的社区中也是如此。数据中最常提到的与昆虫-疾病关系有关的元素是蚊子和登革热，蝎子（属于蛛形纲动物而非昆虫）的提及次数排名第二，而其他昆虫，如亲吻虫子，苍蝇和蟑螂也被提到传播 VBD。虽然电视是这些社区居民关于 VBD 的主要信息来源，但也提到了生物学书籍。化学防治措施（驱虫剂）是最常用的预防方法，而传统药物是最常用于治疗昆虫叮咬和传播疾病的药物。昆虫恐惧症是受访者害怕和拒绝昆虫的主要原因。除了许多昆虫的有害影响之外，接受调查的人还认识到，由于昆虫提供的经济和营养益处，它们与昆虫有着积极的关系。本研究提供了有关农村和城市社区如何看待昆虫及其传播的疾病的相关信息。尽管人们都知道登革热以及蚊子在传播它中的作用，但仍需要针对其他历史上被忽视的 VBD，例如利什曼病、南美锥虫病，甚至立克次体病，开展宣传活动。由于了解这些疾病对社区的影响很重要，因此需要进一步研究以确保提供关于 VBD 的更好信息和指导，以便不仅在农村而且在大都市社区发展疾病预防文化。普埃布拉州。