Haiti's rural Central Plateau: Baseline data from mobile health clinics.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: George Washington Students for Haiti conducts mobile clinics in the Central Plateau of Haiti. Baseline health data for specific rural areas of Haiti are needed. METHODS: Medical teams conducted mobile clinics in rural locations of Haiti's Central Plateau. Diagnoses, blood pressure, growth parameters, medications prescribed, and referrals were recorded. RESULTS: Analyses included 865 patients. The leading pediatric diagnoses were acute respiratory infection, dermatitis, and abdominal pain. Using height for age, 22.9% of children were categorized as malnourished. The primary adult diagnoses were gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) (23.3%), genitourinary disorders (15.9%), and cataracts (15.1%). Of all adults, 21.3% had hypertension Stage 1, and 15.4% had hypertension Stage 2. DISCUSSION: This study provides valuable baseline health data for those providing medical care in the Central Plateau of Haiti. Effective health care targets include intestinal parasitic infections and malnourishment for children; hypertension and GERD for adults.