[Poverty and disease: users of the primary care social services of a primary care center].
OBJECTIVE
To find the individual and socio-family characteristics of that sector of the population which uses Primary Care Social Services (PCSS) at the Primary Care Centre (PCC) and the social problems which occasion demand.


METHODS
A retrospective descriptive study, based on checking over social work case files.


METHODS
A PCC situated in Barcelona's second industrial belt, serving a population with a low socio-economic level.


METHODS
The population group under study were the users with social work files open from January 1st 1985 to July 31st 1991 (a total of 690 case histories). A representative sample of 296 was selected.


RESULTS
In comparison with the population of the basic Health Area, the user population of the PCSS at the PCC was predominantly women, and had an older average age, a higher proportion of divorce/separation and widowhood, and, in the labour context, higher unemployment and retirement. A high proportion of one-parent families (12.8%) was found. Analysis of the work situation showed that 50% of the workers were temporary and 75% of the unemployed received no benefit. 51% of the retired people received the minimum pension and 11% received no pension. Monthly family income, recorded for 46.5% of the cases, was 75,362 pesetas (SD 37,643). The most common problems were those related to the "HEALTH" section (61%).


CONCLUSIONS
The user population of the PCSS at the PCC is, in socio-economic terms, deteriorated, a condition closely related to the development of chronic illnesses. Tackling health inequalities from Primary Care is under discussion.
Doz Mora
J F
JF
Centro de Atención Primaria Ciutat Badia, Barcelona.
Mengual
L
L
Torné
M
M
Bonilla
P
P
D000328:Adult; D003151:Community Health Centers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011203:Poverty; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012947:Social Work; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
Pobreza y enfermedad: usuarios de los servicios sociales de atención primaria de un centro de atención primaria.