[Morbidity in rural environment. A comparative study of 2 methods of obtaining data].

Background: The great amount of information required to have the possibility of carrying out an opportune correct health planning has been the cause of an increased interest in the Information Systems about morbidity and it is primary level where the obtention of data becomes more difficult. The source of data is one of the problems to be solved; health surveys and consultation registers have been the most frequently used. Both show differences in their results, mainly due to the differences between the perceived morbidity and the treated morbidity, respectively established by each one of them. The objective of our study is to compare perceived morbidity with treated morbidity in the rural environment of Salamanca Province.

Methods: Data on morbidity obtained by the system of register in primary health care of the Community of Castilla y León in five base health areas of Salamanca Province, are compared with data obtained by interview survey in those areas during the same period of time.

Results: The three first causes of morbidity were: Diseases of Respiratory System, Digestive System and Circulatory System according to the home survey and Infectious and Parasite Diseases, Supplementary Classification and Signs, Symptoms and improperly Defined Morbid Status, according to registers.

Conclusions: Taking into account the results obtained, the differences between both sources were statistically significative and the greatest differences were found in the group of Signs and improperly defined Morbid Status, Infections Diseases and the Supplementary Classification.