Health and Demographic Characteristics of Patients Attending a Newly-Opened Medical Facility in a Remote Amazonian Community: A Descriptive Study

Medical Sciences

Lucy Guile¹  Anne Jachmann²  Devon Graham³ 

[1] Department of Anaesthesia, Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Sandford Road, Cheltenham GL53 7AN, UK;Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, University of Valencia, 46100 Burjassot, Valencia, Spain;Project Amazonas, 701 E Commercial Blvd 200, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33334, USA;

关键词: rural health;    health-seeking behaviour;    health beliefs;    Amazon;    traditional medicine;   

DOI  :  10.3390/medsci6040106

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

Peru is a country with wide regional disparities in health. Remote Amazonian communities have high rates of poverty and poor access to health services. There is a lack of data on morbidity and use of health services in the region. We describe a descriptive, cross-sectional study of the demographic characteristics and presenting complaints of attendees to a newly-opened primary care facility in a remote community. This was supplemented by structured interviews of adult attendees to build a picture of sociocultural determinants of health locally, including engagement with traditional forms of medicine. Our study provides novel insights into an under-studied and under-resourced area. We found a young population with a high prevalence of infectious illnesses, particularly dermatological infections - a previously under-recognised source of morbidity in these communities. Poor literacy rates and widespread use of traditional forms of medicine have important implications for the provision of healthcare in this region.

【 授权许可】

Unknown