[Adult morbidity consultations in rural medical centers]

A sample of 823 adult morbidity consultations in four rural medical centers in the VI Region in Chile were studied according to age and group of diagnosis. There was a reduction in the number of consultations with age. The following were the most frequent diagnoses: respiratory disorders 17.3%, infections and parasitic infestation 10.2%, circulatory diseases 10.6%, gastrointestinal diseases 9.8%, genitourinary diseases 8.9%, musculoskeletal disorders 8.6% and mental illnesses 8.0%. No differences were found between this pattern of morbidity and that found in similar studies in urban areas. Important differences were found between the rural centres included in the study and these should be analysed in more detail, as they may reveal different risk factors for these populations.