ABSTRACT
Background: Preventive activities of the public health system in Chile are not integrated and there is no parameter assessing the whole population that is benefited with these activities. Aim: To develop and implement a mathematical measure of the coverage of preventive health activities, provided to different age groups. Material and methods: Data was gathered from the monthly statistical reports of the women, children, teenager, adult and elderly health programs in 30 communities of the Seventh Chilean Region. The preventive medicine index (PMI) was calculated as the ratio between the population that was ascribed to each program and the population that was a potential beneficiary of such program. Results: In the studied region, the global coverage of preventive medicine, calculated using the PMI, increased from 0.229 in 1999 to 0.370 in 2003. This represents a 61 percent increment. However, there are important inequalities in the access to preventive health in the different communities of the region. Conclusions: The PMI revealed a substantial increment in preventive health activities in the studied region.
Subject(s)
Humans , National Health Programs/statistics & numerical data , Preventive Health Services/statistics & numerical data , Preventive Medicine/statistics & numerical data , Chile , Delivery of Health Care, Integrated/statistics & numerical data , Health Services Accessibility/statistics & numerical data , Health Services Needs and Demand/statistics & numerical data , Health Systems Plans , Insurance, Health/statistics & numerical data , National Health Programs/organization & administration , Preventive Health Services/supply & distribution , Preventive Medicine/organization & administrationABSTRACT
Se resume los principales logros alcanzados en el Sector Salud en la Región del Maule en el período 1985-1997. Se analiza el descenso registrado en las tasas de mortalidad:General,Infantil,del Adulto Joven (15-44 años) y Materna. Se presenta la disminución de la Malnutrición Infantil por déficit y la reducción de la morbi-mortalidad por Tuberculosis. Se describe la consolidación y el aumento de cobertura de los programas de prevención primaria: Examen de Salud Preventivo del Adulto, Programa de Prevención de Caries Dentales, Detección Precoz del Cáncer Cérvico-uterino; y el aumento de cobertura y la incorporación de la evaluación de la eficacia de los programas de prevención secundaria: Hipertensión Arterial y Diabetes. Se expone los ejes temáticos sobre los cuales fue organizado el programa de Salud Mental: Alcohol y Drogas, Violencia y salud y Discapacidad Psíquica, sintetizando los resultados obtenidos a la fecha. Finalmente, se comenta que la existencia de sistemas sanitarios formales responsables de proveer servicios de salud que respondan a la realidad epidemiológica, resultan fundamentales para favorecer el incremento de bienestar de la población