Conocimientos y percepciones de los estudiantes sobre atención primaria de salud en la Escuela de Medicina, año 2012

Abstract

The Constitution of Ecuador considers primary health care as the basis of the health system, for its proven efficiency in the cost-benefit ratio. The perceptions of students of the School of Medicine of the University of Cuenca on primary health care in 2012 were researched through a quantitative-descriptive study. A form was designed to measure their knowledge and the academic subjects they associated with primary health care. The quantification of their perceptions and opinions was carried out by using the Health Research Fund test from Spain, PI070975 file, modified and based on the Likert scale. 143 out of 423 senior year students, mostly female, unmarried, and from the cities showed knowledge deficit. 54.55% of these students believe that there are enough grounds to justify their required theoretical and practical learning during their studies because it improves attention, and it is the core of the health system. They consider the characteristics of primary health care are really important, but only a third of them are interested in working on it. They believe that it is not really important for doctors or the society, and that it means a lower salary as well as a minimum scientific effort. Most students prefer surgical and hospital specializations. They also associate social medicine subjects with primary health care, and the students themselves are the ones who discredit it. Therefore, we believe it is necessary to consider further the reason for that statement as well as the implementation of this course in the first years of studies.