Discutindo a função social dos medicamentos: a transdisciplinaridade entre química, história e saúde em Paracambi/RJ

Abstract

This study conducted qualitative and documentary research, using the Dr. Eiras Psychiatric Hospital as the object of study, from its foundation to the implementation of its branch in the municipality of Paracambi. The main objective was to recover the history of the institution, analyze its social, economic, and cultural relevance to the city of Paracambi, and discuss the impacts of the therapeutic and medicinal practices applied within psychiatric institutions. The research also sought to establish connections between the history of the institution and the teaching of Chemistry, exploring the topic of medication as a guiding transdisciplinary theme. The study was based on the analysis of primary and secondary sources, such as official documents, academic articles, and historical records, which allowed for a critical reconstruction of the role played by psychiatric institutions in the 1960s. This approach made it possible to analyze not only the institutional and medical aspects of asylums but also the social, economic, and cultural impacts of the presence of the Dr. Eiras Mental Health Hospital in the city of Paracambi. The consultation of the institution’s documentary archive made it possible to identify the main medications used in the treatment of its patients, which later enabled an investigation into the chemical composition of these drugs and their availability in today’s market. Simultaneously, a literature review was carried out using platforms such as CAPES, Google Scholar, and SciELO, with the aim of investigating whether the relationship between medication and psychiatric institutions had already been addressed in the scientific literature, as well as analyzing how this topic is being explored in Chemistry education and which curriculum contents are used in the process. Thirty academic works were examined, including scientific articles, dissertations, and theses. The findings supported the development of a didactic sequence focused on Chemistry teaching, with potential use by teachers in the municipal education system of Paracambi and by undergraduate students at CEDERJ, addressing the history of the institution, the composition of the medications used, and the impacts of the medicalization of society. Therefore, the transdisciplinary approach between History, Chemistry, and Health enables not only a more critical and civic education but also contributes to the appreciation of the historical and cultural memory of the municipality of Paracambi, while also promoting a necessary reflection on the limits and impacts of the medicalization of life in contemporary society.