INTRODUCTION: This study describes the community health status of Barangay (village) San Agustin in San Fernando City, La Union Province, with the aim of identifying key health problems in the community that would be the focus for the next summer immersions.
METHODOLOGY: Data on the community was gathered via community ocular inspection, house-to-house surveys, inspection of barangay health records, and informal interviews. Data was analyzed qualitatively.
RESULTS: The community consisted predominantly of one-income households with dependence on manual labor as the source of income (76%). This affected the daily budget for basic necessities, most notably for food. Cough (45%), colds (34%) and fever (50%) were the most common illnesses, particularly for children below five years of age (47%). This age group of children was often listed with low to very low birth weight and low weight for age (52%). There was no problem with regard to environmental health and sanitation, and with regard to health services, manpower and facilities, 92% of residents avail of services in the health center.
CONCLUSION: Next community immersions will focus on children's health and nutrition.