Integrated Community Work of Medical Sciences Students Facing COVID-19, Rampa Community Clinic, 2020

ABSTRACT

Introduction: In Cuba, boundless efforts are being made for the prevention and control of COVID-19, such as the active screening carried out by students of Medical Sciences, as a community work integrated into the community itself. Objective: To describe the integrated community work fulfilled by students of Medical Sciences in the confrontation with COVID-19 in the health area of Rampa community clinic. Methods: An observational, descriptive, retrospective, longitudinal study was carried out to analyze the data from integrated community work. The investigation had a first stage, from March to July 2020, at the beginning of the pandemic in the country, and a second stage from September to October 2020, given the existing health contingency in the capital city. Essentially, the homes visited and closed were analyzed, as well as the people surveyed, the number of older adults, and the daily contagion suspects. The evaluation of integrated community work was based on the assistance and the quality of the research. Results: An average of 21% of the population universe was surveyed per day in the first stage and 35% in the second stage. The number of suspects detected was low. The number of homes visited and aged adults surveyed was also higher during the second stage. Although integrated community work was more productive and better evaluated in this stage, the active research carried out by the students in both periods was considered meritorious. Conclusions: The integrated community work carried out by students of Medical Sciences, in addition to being part of their comprehensive training, represents a necessary contribution to face COVID-19, of great relevance in an area with a high prevalence of aged adults.