[Neurological diagnostics in primary health care in Santiago, Chile]

Neurological diseases are a growing concern for public health planners. The purpose of this study was to determine the burden of neurological diagnosis in a primary health care setting in the East Metropolitan Health Service in Santiago, Chile.

A random blocked sample of diagnosis in a one year period was obtained balanced by each of the fourteen clinics in the area. This corresponded to 3% of all visits. A total of 72 diagnosis corresponding to diseases of the nervous system were selected according to ICD 9 definitions.

Of a total of 13,388 visits, 705 (5.3%) corresponded to disease or disorders attributable to the nervous system or that frequently mean consultation with neurologists. Of these, 63.5% were women. The highest rates were found between the second and fourth decades. The most frequent diagnosis were attention deficit disorder in children, headache in adults and spinal pain in the elderly.

The demand for care for syndromes that affect the nervous system in the primary health care setting in a sample of visits is concentrated in chronic disease that require a multidisciplinary approach. The finding are similar to other studies. The data help in defining were to concentrate efforts in health planning and education for the care of neurological disorder in the primary care setting.