title: Epidemiologic profile of patients seen in primary care clinics in an urban and a rural setting in Haiti, 2010-11.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study examined the demographic and epidemiological differences between patient populations presenting to a rural and an urban clinic in Haiti.
  
  
  METHODS
  A primary health clinic was established in urban Leogane, and a once-weekly clinic was established in Magandou, a rural village. Patient data were recorded for all individuals presenting to each clinic.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Over 7 months, 6632 patients (median age 25) were seen in the urban clinic, and 567 (median age 47) in the rural clinic. There was a female majority at both sites. Hypertension was diagnosed in 41.9% (238/567) of the rural population over 40 years of age, while 29.5% (1956/6632) of patients in the urban setting had the same diagnosis (p<0.001). Among women of reproductive age, 20.4% (1353/6632) were diagnosed with STDs in the urban setting versus 8.6% (49/567) at the rural clinic (p=0.004). Eighty-eight patients at the urban clinic had a vector-borne disease, while none were diagnosed among the rural population.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Screening and treatment of hypertension in Haiti must address the wide rural prevalence. STDs are a major urban health issue requiring treatment for both patients and their partners. Vector-borne disease was unseen in the rural clinic, despite an altitude insufficient to prevent mosquito-borne illness.
authors: Internal Medicine Department A, Rambam Medical Center, Ha'Aliya 6, Haifa, Israel, 31096.
authors: Yaakov
authors: Y
authors: Dickstein
authors: Infectious Disease Unit, Rambam Medical Center, Ha'Aliya 6, Haifa, Israel, 31096 Internal Medicine Department B, Rambam Medical Center, Ha'Aliya 6, Haifa, Israel, 31096.
authors: Ami
authors: A
authors: Neuberger
authors: Intensive Care Unit, Rambam Medical Center, Ha'Aliya 6, Haifa, Israel, 31096.
authors: Miri
authors: M
authors: Golus
authors: The Center for Geographic Medicine and Department of Medicine C, The Chaim Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer 52621, Israel Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel elischwa@post.tau.ac.il.
authors: Eli
authors: E
authors: Schwartz
mesh_terms: D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000453:epidemiology; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003141:Communicable Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006205:Haiti / Q000453:epidemiology; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010272:Parasitic Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D011320:Primary Health Care; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D014505:Urban Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Haiti; Hypertension; Rural; STDs; Urban