title: [Diagnosing community health by factorial analysis].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify the needs of medical care and to determine priorities in the delivery of health services by the factorial analysis of the health indicators obtained from study of the demographic, economic and family features of those registered at a Primary Care Centre.
  
  
  METHODS
  Descriptive and crossover.
  
  
  METHODS
  Tlalpan area, Federal District, Mexico, divided into geo-statistical zones. Patients and other participants. A randomised sample of 590 dwellings, with proportional coverage, based on 173,000 inhabitants and 17,895 ordinary dwellings.
  
  
  METHODS
  Survey conducted in the home (April-July, 1993).
  
  
  RESULTS
  16 health markers were classified into four categories, demographic, social, health-damaging and family. Nine markers with a reading on the Pearson's correlation index over 0.40 were chosen. Factorial analysis determined two main factors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The identification of the main risk factors by means of factorial analysis helped in diagnosing community health. A project needs to be worked out to define a methodology for studying medically dysfunctional families and to introduce a prevention and early diagnosis programme for Diabetes Mellitus.
authors.affiliation: Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, México DF.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Irigoyen Coria
authors.forename: E R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Ponce Rosas
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Dickinson Bannack
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Rodríguez León
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Gómez Clavelina
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kahan
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mora Sánchez
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: González Salinas
mesh_terms: D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008800:Mexico; D011320:Primary Health Care