Journal Article

A Community-Based Intervention for the Detection of Chagas Disease in Barcelona, Spain

Sulleiro, Elena, Guiu, Isabel Claveria, Gómez i Prat, Jordi, Espasa, Mateu, de los Santos, Juan José, Ouaarab, Hakima, Souto, Inés Oliveira, Choque, Estefa, Delcor, Núria Serre, Viñas, Pedro Albajar, Pastoret, Conxita, Terren, Carlos Ascaso, Peremiquel-Trillas, Paula

2019

Overview

Chagas disease (CHD) has become a challenge in Spain due to the high prevalence of immigrants coming from endemic areas. One of the main difficulties for its control and elimination is its underdiagnosis. The identification and integral treatment of CHD are key to increasing rates of diagnosis, overcoming psycho-social barriers and avoiding CHD progression. Community interventions with in situ screening have proven to be a useful tool in detecting CHD among those with difficulties accessing health services. To determine the underdiagnosis rate of the population most susceptible to CHD among those attending two different Bolivian cultural events celebrated in Barcelona; to describe the sociodemographic characteristics of the people screened; and to analyse the results of the screening. The community interventions were carried out at two Bolivian cultural events held in Barcelona in 2017. Participants were recruited through community health agents. A questionnaire was given to determine the participants’ prior knowledge of CHD. In situ screening was offered to those who had not previously been screened. Those who did not wish to be screened were asked for the reason behind their decision. Results were gathered in a database and statistical analyses were performed using STATA v14. 635 interviews were carried out. 95% of the subjects reported prior knowledge of CHD. 271 subjects were screened: 71.2% women and 28.8% men, of whom 87.8% were of Bolivian origin. The prevalence of CHD was 8.9%. Community health interventions with in situ screening are essential to facilitating access to diagnosis.

• Publisher: Springer Science + Business Media,Springer US,Springer Nature B.V
• Subject: Bolivia - ethnology / Chagas disease / Chagas Disease - diagnosis / Chagas Disease - epidemiology / Chagas Disease - ethnology / Communities / Community / Community and Environmental Psychology / Community health / Community health care / Community Health Services / Community Relations / Community-based programs / Cultural activities / Cultural differences / Decision analysis / Diagnosis / Disease / Elimination / Emigrants and Immigrants / Ethics / Female / Health / Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice / Health promotion / Health Promotion and Disease Prevention / Health services / Humans / Immigrants / Intervention / Male / Mass Screening / Medical diagnosis / Medical screening / Medicine / Medicine & Public Health / ORIGINAL PAPER / Population (statistical) / Prevalence / Prior knowledge / Prior Learning / Public Health / Screening / Sociodemographics / Spain / Statistical analysis / Tests / Vector-borne diseases