Asociación entre atención por curandero y muerte en niños ingresados por diarrea aguda en un hospital pediátrico

Objectives: To identify the association between attention by Folk healers and death in children under 5 years of age hospitalized with acute diarrhea. Study design: Case/Cntrol study unmatched. Time and place of study: Children under 5 years of age, nor including newborns, who were discharged from the hospital with diagnosis of acute diarrhea. This included 98 death (cases) and 194 live patients (controls). Random simple sampling. Variables: Attention by folk healers, death of patient, age at hospital admittance, previous treatment with antibiotics, salicilates or oral rehydration solution. Clinical charts were revised. Analysis: Multiple logistics regression. Adjustment variables justification. Identification of effect modifiers and confounders Software SPSS 10.0.5 and STATA 6.0 Results: Of the group studied, 28.8% recieved attention by Folk Healers. The average was of 7.6 months, the male sex was predominant (62%), the average time lapse between inicial symtons and momento of hospitalization was of 4.8 days, 33.6% received previous antibiotic treatment, 29.8% oral rehydration solution and 12% salicilates. The Odds Ratio between attention by folk healer and death was of 2.35 with IC95% 1.39-3.98. The age at admittance and previous medication with salicilates were justified as adjustments variables. The likehood ratio test descarted the existence of effect modifiers of the estimated association. A bias of -7.3% was identified, thus affirming that the contrl variables do not confound the association. Conclusion: Evidence exists that suggest that attention by healers is associated to death in this type of patients. It is necessary to identify specific risk factors implicit to this practice.