Health promotion and disease prevention practices in households in Cartagena, Colombia

Abstract

Health practices influence the quality of life and health outcomes of populations. The purpose of this research is to describe the health practices carried out by households in the city of Cartagena to promote health and prevent the most prevalent diseases in childhood and adulthood in men and women. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in 4,496 households in 5 neighborhoods or districts prioritized by the territorial entity of the District. An intentional sample of 4,000 households was used, selected through a proportional stratified sampling. Data collection was done through a characterization form of 117 questions distributed in 3 modules (general, socio-environmental and individual). A descriptive analysis of the variables was performed through the Epi Info software version 7.2. Most of the families belong to stratum 1 (92.6%). The most prevalent disease in children under 5 years of age was respiratory infection (47%), only 41.3% had the complete vaccination schedule. Of adult men, only 23.7% had undergone digital rectal examination and 39% had self-examination of the testicles. Of adult women, 45.3% had undergone vaginal cytology and 78.5% performed self-examination of the breasts. In conclusion, the study revealed a high prevalence of respiratory infections in children under 5 years of age. In adults, men show low adherence to preventive controls, while in women there are still gaps in the early detection of cancer.