Abstract

PEREZ VILLAVERDE, N. et al. Use of pediatric Primary Health Care consultation morbility in Toledo: Comparation between a Spanish children cohort and an inmigration one. Medifam [online]. 2003, vol.13, n.2, pp.40-45. ISSN 1131-5768.

Objectives: to study the use of pediatric Primary Health Care consultations by inmigrants children (IC) and the morbility of this group, comparing to native children (NC).  Design: observational study with control group.  Material and methods: two samples of 147 IC and 147 NC matched by sex and age, from the 4 Primary Health Care Centres in Toledo. From the histories were collected dates about demography, beginning and lasting of breast feeding, attendance to programmed visits, vaccinal situation, demanding´s number and causes, and laboratory tests required along one year (June 2000-June 2001).  Results: the mean number of demands by year was similar in both groups IC and NC, 2.12 (SD 2.43) and 2.56 (SD 2.96) respectively. 37.21% of IC failed, at least once, to a programmed visit, comparing to 17% of NC (p< 0.05). The most frequent demanding cause was upper respiratory tract infection in both groups (63.37% at IC vs 73.79% at NC). Acute gastroenteritis and otitis were less frequent among IC than NC (9.98 vs 20.39%; 10.88 vs 23.3% respectively, p<0.05). The opposite happened with inespecific abdominal pain (9.9 at IC vs 1.94% at NC, p<0.05). The rest of demanding causes were similar in both groups. Thirty-nine laboratory tests were asked for IC group and 29 for NC, being remarkable Mantoux (four times for IC and none for NC). Breast feeding lasting was longer at IC group , 4.59 months (SD 3.25) than at NC group, 3.52 months (SD 2.08), p<0.05.  Conclusions: IC behaviour is very similar to NC, regarding number of annual demandings and more frequent pathologies. However there are things that reminds us they are a population that still have some particularity: differences found among some pathologies, the high non-attendance rate to programmed visits at IC group, and the longer lasting of breast feeding at this group, are clear examples.

Keywords : Inmigrants; Primary Health Care; Morbility; Pediatric; Use.

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