title: Demographics and diagnoses at rural health camps in Nepal: cross-sectional study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The charity 'Health Partnership Nepal' is committed to both improving global health care and providing medical training links between Nepal and the UK. This paper analyses data gathered at rural health camps.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To describe the demographics, diagnoses and treatments offered to people attending three rural health camps in Nepal during 2009. Design Cross-sectional study. Setting Three free health care camps established within the Nuwakot district of Nepal during April-May 2009. Camps were staffed by doctors including GPs, nurses and medical students from London and Kathmandu.
  
  
  METHODS
  Attendees had treatment sheets completed which recorded their demographics, diagnoses and dispensed medications.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age of the 1903 consecutive patients attending was 42.8 years (range one month to 98 years) of whom 68.6% were female and 13.7% were children. The majority, 82.3%, were agricultural workers. For adults (n = 1574), the most frequent complaints were stomach pain 20.1%, musculoskeletal pain 19.3% and visual acuity problems 6.1%. Stomach pain was significantly more common in women than men [21.2% (236/1064) versus 14.5% (65/449) P < 0.01]. For children (n = 249), the most common diagnoses were helminthiasis 10.4%, conjunctivitis 7.6% and upper respiratory tract infection 7.2%. Overall, opthalmological, gastroenterological and rheumatological diagnoses were significantly more common in Nepalese than UK general practice patients. Of 1109 recorded prescriptions, the most common were multivitamins 23%, oral analgesics 15% and oral antibiotics 14%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is a considerable unmet disease burden within rural districts of Nepal particularly for stomach pain, musculoskeletal pain and visual acuity problems. When planning similar rurally based health camps, we recommend recruiting GPs and ophthalmologists.
authors.affiliation: Population Health Sciences and Education, St. George's, University of London, London, UK. mpambos@doctors.org.uk
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pambos
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Loukes
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Matheson
authors.forename: Bibek
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Aryal
authors.forename: Suman
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Adhikari
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kerry
authors.forename: Fiona
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Reid
authors.forename: Pippa
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Oakeshott
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003710:Demography; D004813:Epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009390:Nepal; D055553:Prescription Drugs / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012423:Rural Health; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D055553:Prescription Drugs