Abstract

ROMERO PENUELA, Marlyn Hellen  and  SANCHEZ VALENCIA, Jorge Alberto. EVALUATION OF RISK FACTORS OF VISCERAL LEISHMANIASIS IN SIX ENDEMIC MUNICIPALITIES IN COLOMBIA. Hacia promoc. Salud [online]. 2009, vol.14, n.2, pp.67-75. ISSN 0121-7577.

Objective: A descriptive epidemiological study was conducted in order to identify socioeconomic conditions and measures implemented to control Visceral Leishmaniasis in the indigenous population located in ten villages in the municipalities of Coyaima, Natagaima, Coello, Ataco and Purificación. Materials and Methods: An epidemiological questionnaire was applied from March to September (2007), focusing on social and economic variables, housing characteristics, disease knowledge, and attitudes towards arthropod bites prevention. The population consisted of 527 households with 2.454 individuals (56.6% adult population and 43.4% children). Results: The results showed the presence of a poor sanitary infrastructure of housing and basic sanitation conditions. 78.7% of the families earnless than one minimum wage, to support an average of 4.7 residents per household. 64.1% of families do not use any protection against bites. Basic knowledge on the disease is poor (11%). The socioeconomic conditions, low population awareness of the disease and the specific individual and collective control measures require intervention by means of implementing sustainable measures.

Keywords : Visceral Leishmaniasis (VL); epidemiology; prevention; control.

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