Accessibility to and utilisation of schistosomiasis-related health services in a rural area of state of Minas Gerais, Brazil

Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz. 2010 Jul;105(4):587-97. doi: 10.1590/s0074-02762010000400039.

Abstract

The objective of the present paper was to compare accessibility and utilisation of schistosomiasis diagnostic and treatment services in a small village and the surrounding rural area in northern part of the state of Minas Gerais Brazil. The study included 1,228 individuals: 935 central village residents and 293 rural residents of São Pedro do Jequitinhonha. Schistosoma mansoni infection rates were significantly higher in the central village than in the rural area during a survey in 2007 (44.3% and 23.5%, respectively) and during the 2002 schistosomiasis case-finding campaign (33.1% and 26.5%, respectively) (p < 0.001). However, during the 2002-2006 period, only 23.7% of the villagers and 27% of the rural residents obtained tests on their own from health centres, hospitals and private clinics in various nearby towns. In 2007, 63% of the villagers and 70.5% of the rural residents reported never having received treatment for schistosomiasis. This paper reveals considerable variation in the accessibility and utilisation of schistosomiasis-related health services between the central village and the rural area. A combination of low utilisation rates between 2002-2006 and persistently high S. mansoni infection rates suggest that the schistosomiasis control program must be more rapidly incorporated into the primary health services.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Brazil / epidemiology
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Female
  • Health Care Surveys*
  • Health Services Accessibility / statistics & numerical data*
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Prevalence
  • Primary Health Care / statistics & numerical data*
  • Rural Population
  • Schistosomiasis mansoni* / diagnosis
  • Schistosomiasis mansoni* / drug therapy
  • Schistosomiasis mansoni* / epidemiology
  • Schistosomicides / therapeutic use
  • Socioeconomic Factors
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Schistosomicides