Epidemiological characteristics and perception of patients seen at the Basic Teams of Global Health Care (EBAIS in Costa Rica)

Abstract

Aim: Epidemiological characteristics of the patients who attend the Basic Teams of Global Health Attention( Equipos Básicos de Atención Integral en Salud, known as EBAIS) are little known. The perception about the attention received at the Social Security Centers in Costa Rica is also overlooked.
Objective: To find out the socio-economical characteristics and patients' satisfaction in each Health Region. Methods: The data from the First National Health Interview (2006) were analyzed with the statistic program SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) viewer 12.0 for Windows®. Some variables such as age, sex, nationality, health region, social security coverage, income and attention quality, were adjusted according to the population who were seen at the one EBAIS during the study period.
Results: seventy one percent of the inhabitants of Costa Rica, during the study period had attended an EBAIS, out of which 97.5% were costarricans. Besides, 70% perceived an income less than two hundred thousand ""colones"" a month. Fifty percent of the population had not attended high-school. The attention received at the EBAIS was perceived as good or excellent by a 66%.
Conclusion: Attention quality received by the patients who attended an EBAIS was good or excellent; there were few cases of patients who complained about the attention received. At the same time, these patients are characterized by their low education level and their limited income.