Rodríguez VLE, Seuc JAH, Lauzán DE, García LG, Rodríguez ÁM, Macías SM

Language: Spanish
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ABSTRACT

Objective: to identify the impact of lymphedema as a health problem in El Cerro municipality.
Methods: an epidemiological, descriptive and cross-sectional study was performed in 122 430 inhabitants of El Cerro municipality. One-stage stratification allowed selecting a random sample in which the strata were polyclinics and the medical offices having odds proportional to size were selected from each stratum. The primary data were collected from those families selected in the doctor's offices included in the study. The patients diagnosed with lymphedema from each chosen doctor's office were taken into consideration. For the active search, a certain number of dwellings were randomly selected, where all the residents were examined. A questionnaire was prepared to collect primary data through personal interviews.
Results: it was detected that 23 subjects had raised volume in some part of their bodies; lymphedema was confirmed in 16 persons, for a prevalence rate of 0.6 ± 0.081 %, that is, around 707 people might develop lymphedema in the municipality. Secondary lymphedema prevailed (69 %), the highest proportion was found in right lower limb (31.3 %), followed by the bilateral location in the lower limbs (25 %). The most affected were the females (87.5 %). It was found that 43.8 % had a job. The age of 56.25 % and 43.75 % of the patients was 15 to 59 years and 60 years and over respectively. Of the studied patients, 87.5 % stated that they knew some things about their disease and all of them were under specialized treatment.
Conclusions: lymphedema has an effect in the health status of the population in El Cerro municipality as well as in other parts of the world, since it is an underestimated and poorly registered problem that requires more efforts in the health care field.