RESUMEN
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.