Frequency distribution of pediatric primary care cases in a rural site in the Philippines: A cross-sectional study.

Jonah Mikka B Dorado; Leonila F Dans; Carol Stephanie C Tan-lim; Cara Lois T Galingana; Janelle Micaela S Panganiban; Mia P Rey; Josephine T Sanchez; Herbert S Zabala; Maria Rhodora N Aquino; Antonio L Dans

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Frequency distribution of pediatric primary care cases in a rural site in the Philippines: A cross-sectional study.

Author: Jonah Mikka B. DORADO ¹ ; Leonila F. DANS ^{1
,

2} ; Carol Stephanie C. TAN-LIM ³ ; Cara Lois T. GALINGANA ² ; Janelle Micaela S. PANGANIBAN ² ; Mia P. REY ² ; Josephine T. SANCHEZ ² ; Herbert S. ZABALA ² ; Maria Rhodora N. AQUINO ² ; Antonio L. DANS ^{2
,

4}
Author Information

1. Department of Pediatrics, Philippine General Hospital, University of the Philippines Manila
2. Philippine Primary Care Studies, Center for Integrative and Development Studies, University of the Philippines Diliman
3. Department of Clinical Epidemiology, College of Medicine, University of the Philippines Manila
4. Institute of Clinical Epidemiology, National Institutes of Health, University of the Philippines Manila
Publication Type:Journal Article, Original
Keywords: Pediatric Primary Care Cases; Rural Site
MeSH: Electronic Health Records; Electronic Medical Record
From: Acta Medica Philippina 2024;58(18):71-78
CountryPhilippines
Abstract: BACKGROUND
Primary care for pediatric patients focuses on providing comprehensive, accessible, and coordinated healthcare from the neonatal period to adolescence. The implementation and use of electronic medical records (EMR) in pediatric primary care facilities is an efficient strategy to gather necessary information on the epidemiology of common pediatric diseases in the Philippines.
OBJECTIVES
This study aimed to determine the frequency distribution of pediatric diseases in a rural primary healthcare facility in the Philippines.
METHODS
This cross-sectional study reviewed the EMR of all pediatric patients who consulted in a primary care facility in Samal, Bataan from April 2019 to March 2021. Data gathered include sex, age in years, chief complaint, diagnosis, and month of consultation. Data was summarized using descriptive statistics.
RESULTS
A total of 14,462 pediatric consults were recorded from April 2019 to March 2021. There were slightly more male patients (52.1%). The mean age of the patients was 6.5 years (standard deviation 5.22). The highest number of consults came from the 1- to 4-year-old age group (41.5%). The most common chief complaints were cough (45.9%), fever (25.5%), and colds (24.9%). The most frequent diagnoses were upper respiratory tract infections (47.4%), followed by lower respiratory tract infections (6.9%), and skin and soft tissue infections (5.3%). Majority of the consults for respiratory tract infections, skin and soft tissue infections, gastroenteritis, asthma, and dermatitis were in the 1- to 4-year-old age group. Urinary tract infections and otitis media or externa were recorded more frequently in the 5- to 9-year-old age group.
CONCLUSIONS
Respiratory tract infections, followed by skin and soft tissue infections, were the most frequently identified diseases in children consulting a primary care facility at a rural site in the Philippines. The most common chief complaints, defined as the primary reason for seeking consult, were cough, fever, and colds. Data was gathered through EMR review, which may aid in the planning of programs and policies to improve primary care service delivery.