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[A comparative study of the marginal non-Gypsy pediatric population]
A Sacristán1, M A García-Rodríguez, C Coca Palacios
1Centro de Salud Medina del Campo, Valladolid.
Objective:
To identify a population group at social risk and its principal features compared with the general population of Medina del Campo.
Design:
A crossover observation study.
Setting:
Primary care. Health district.
Patients And Other Participants:
Children under 8 belonging to the marginalized non-gypsy population and children of the same age from the general population.
Measurements And Results:
Less weight and height, deficient compliance with healthy child monitoring, an acceptable level of vaccination (over 80%), excess of acute dermatological and neurological pathology (7.6% against 0% in the general population). 45% of pregnancies were unwanted, with a higher average of siblings and other people living in ordinary or poor-quality housing, which belonged to the grandparents in 50% of cases. Young parents with little training and serious problems of unemployment (60%), drug dependency (33%), alcoholism (23.3%) and delinquency (18.5%). The mother looked after the children by herself in 48% of cases.
Conclusions:
There is little healthy child monitoring and light undernourishment, but the vaccination coverage is acceptable. High prevalence of unwanted pregnancies. Young parents, with little education, unemployed, with high prevalence of drug dependency, alcoholism and delinquency. High prevalence of single-parent families.