Child Health in the Peruvian Amazon: Prevalence and Factors Associated with Referred Morbidity and Health Care Access in the City of Iñapari

• Published in: Journal of Tropical Medicine
• Main Authors: Maria Gabriela Silva Guimarães, Athos Muniz Braña, Humberto Oliart-Guzmán, Fernando Luiz Cunha Castelo Branco, Breno Matos Delfino, Thasciany Moraes Pereira, Saulo Augusto Silva Mantovani, Antonio Camargo Martins, Ana Paula Santos, José Alcântara Filgueira-Júnior, Alanderson Alves Ramalho, Andreia da Silva Guimarães, Cristieli Sérgio de Menezes Oliveira, Thiago Santos de Araújo, Carlos Hermógenes Manrique de Lara Estrada, Nancy Arróspide, Mônica da Silva-Nunes
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Wiley 2015
• Subjects: Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1155/2015/157430; https://doaj.org/article/674f3a2f8fc84a9bbd5d11929787829e

Introduction. Children under 5 years of age are more susceptible to developing morbidities such as diarrhea, respiratory infections, anemia, and malnutrition. The objective of the study is to evaluate the prevalence of reported morbidities in this age group in the city of Iñapari (Peru) and the access to health services in this municipality. Methods. Data collection using interviews that assessed socioeconomic and demographic conditions, child morbidity, and access to health services was performed in 2011. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 13.0. Results. Regarding morbidities that occurred during lifetime, 39.8% reported previous anemia and intestinal parasite infection. About 53.7% of the children reported any type of morbidities in the last 15 days before interview, being most frequent respiratory symptoms (38.9%), diarrhea (23,4%), and fever (23,1%). Only 63.1% of those reporting recent morbidities sought health care. These morbidities were associated with precarious sanitation and lack of infrastructure, the presence of other comorbidities, and poor access to health services. Conclusion. The main referred morbidities in Amazonian Peruvian children were diarrhea, respiratory symptoms, anemia, and vomiting. Incentives and improvements in the health and sanitation conditions would be important measures to improve the quality of life of the Amazonian child population.