Weill Cornell Medicine, Doha, Qatar.
Ministry of Health and Population, Lilongwe, Malawi.
J Prim Care Community Health. 2021 Jan-Dec;12:21501327211035095. doi: 10.1177/21501327211035095.
To compare of basic health and social demographics observed during 4-day medical camps in 2 rural communities in Zambia and Malawi to determine any significant differences or similarities.
About 12 and 10 local and international volunteers at medical camps (at a temporary rural health post or community hall) in rural Zambia and Malawi respectively treated 488 patients in total, with basic health and social demographic data collected and results analyzed.
The mean age of patients seen in Malawi and Zambia were 34.5 and 38.9 years respectively, with 39% and 40% of patients in Malawi and Zambia respectively being within the 18 to 44 years age group, and mostly females (59.7% in Malawi and 65.7% in Zambia). Most were non-infectious diseases (97.3% in Zambia, 95% in Malawi), mostly musculoskeletal (17.0% in Malawi and 30.5% in Zambia), while medications prescribed were mostly analgesics (35.7% in Malawi and 29.9% in Zambia). Only a small proportion of patients were referred to local secondary facilities or district hospitals, 51 (28.7%) in Malawi and 59 (19.9%) in Zambia respectively. Chi square test shows a significant difference ( < .001) in diseases in both countries, but there was no statistically significant difference between the mean age of patients seen in both countries, using the independent -test ( = .365).
This study highlights statistically significant demographic differences between the 2 communities and possible reasons for these, and how volunteers' roles in rural healthcare in the East African communities could be further evaluated.
比较在赞比亚和马拉维的两个农村社区进行的为期 4 天的医疗营中观察到的基本健康和社会人口统计学数据，以确定任何显著的差异或相似之处。
在赞比亚和马拉维的农村地区，分别有 12 名和 10 名当地和国际志愿者在医疗营（临时农村卫生所或社区大厅）工作，总共治疗了 488 名患者，收集了基本健康和社会人口统计学数据，并进行了分析。
在马拉维和赞比亚就诊的患者的平均年龄分别为 34.5 岁和 38.9 岁，分别有 39%和 40%的患者在 18 至 44 岁年龄组，且大多数为女性（马拉维为 59.7%，赞比亚为 65.7%）。大多数为非传染性疾病（赞比亚为 97.3%，马拉维为 95%），主要为肌肉骨骼疾病（马拉维为 17.0%，赞比亚为 30.5%），而开的药物主要为镇痛药（马拉维为 35.7%，赞比亚为 29.9%）。只有一小部分患者被转介到当地二级医疗机构或地区医院，马拉维为 51 人（28.7%），赞比亚为 59 人（19.9%）。卡方检验显示两国的疾病存在显著差异（ < .001），但两国患者的平均年龄使用独立样本 t 检验无统计学差异（ = .365）。
本研究突出了这两个社区之间在人口统计学方面存在显著差异，并探讨了这些差异的可能原因，以及如何进一步评估东非社区中志愿者在农村医疗保健中的作用。
