Biomaterial Database

Cystic fibrosis care in Chile. 2009

Hector H Gutierrez, and Ignacio Sanchez, and Daniel V Schidlow

Division of Pulmonary Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama 35233, USA. hgutierrez@peds.uab.edu

OBJECTIVE Cystic fibrosis (CF) has been underdiagnosed and undertreated for many years in Latin American countries, including Chile. This article describes the evolution of CF care in view of recent reforms in healthcare delivery in Chile, and the opportunities that exist to improve outcomes. RESULTS The characteristics of the population of CF patients are described using recently collected data. Unfortunately, current data do not allow an accurate assessment of CF care in Chile. The situation is similar elsewhere in Latin America. Further, we describe the obstacles to achieving optimum CF care, among them lack of expertise among healthcare professionals, dispersion of patients between private and public health systems, and limited laboratory infrastructure despite significant economic growth and improvement in national health indices. We discuss different avenues to enhance CF care in Chile and Latin America. CONCLUSIONS Centralization and organization of CF care within centers of excellence employing 'best practices' and engaging in quality-improvement initiatives, and the creation of national data registries represent important steps to improve survival, diminish morbidity, and allow more extensive participation of Latin American CF patients in multicenter clinical research.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D002677	Chile	A country in southern South America, bordering the South Pacific Ocean, between Argentina and Peru.
D003550	Cystic Fibrosis	An autosomal recessive genetic disease of the EXOCRINE GLANDS. It is caused by mutations in the gene encoding the CYSTIC FIBROSIS TRANSMEMBRANE CONDUCTANCE REGULATOR expressed in several organs including the LUNG, the PANCREAS, the BILIARY SYSTEM, and the SWEAT GLANDS. Cystic fibrosis is characterized by epithelial secretory dysfunction associated with ductal obstruction resulting in AIRWAY OBSTRUCTION; chronic RESPIRATORY INFECTIONS; PANCREATIC INSUFFICIENCY; maldigestion; salt depletion; and HEAT PROSTRATION.	Mucoviscidosis,Cystic Fibrosis of Pancreas,Fibrocystic Disease of Pancreas,Pancreatic Cystic Fibrosis,Pulmonary Cystic Fibrosis,Cystic Fibrosis, Pancreatic,Cystic Fibrosis, Pulmonary,Fibrosis, Cystic,Pancreas Fibrocystic Disease,Pancreas Fibrocystic Diseases
D003695	Delivery of Health Care	The concept concerned with all aspects of providing and distributing health services to a patient population.	Delivery of Dental Care,Health Care,Health Care Delivery,Health Care Systems,Community-Based Distribution,Contraceptive Distribution,Delivery of Healthcare,Dental Care Delivery,Distribution, Non-Clinical,Distribution, Nonclinical,Distributional Activities,Healthcare,Healthcare Delivery,Healthcare Systems,Non-Clinical Distribution,Nonclinical Distribution,Activities, Distributional,Activity, Distributional,Care, Health,Community Based Distribution,Community-Based Distributions,Contraceptive Distributions,Deliveries, Healthcare,Delivery, Dental Care,Delivery, Health Care,Delivery, Healthcare,Distribution, Community-Based,Distribution, Contraceptive,Distribution, Non Clinical,Distributional Activity,Distributions, Community-Based,Distributions, Contraceptive,Distributions, Non-Clinical,Distributions, Nonclinical,Health Care System,Healthcare Deliveries,Healthcare System,Non Clinical Distribution,Non-Clinical Distributions,Nonclinical Distributions,System, Health Care,System, Healthcare,Systems, Health Care,Systems, Healthcare
D006297	Health Services Accessibility	The degree to which individuals are inhibited or facilitated in their ability to gain entry to and to receive care and services from the health care system. Factors influencing this ability include geographic, architectural, transportational, and financial considerations, among others.	Access To Care, Health,Access to Care,Access to Contraception,Access to Health Care,Access to Health Services,Access to Medications,Access to Medicines,Access to Therapy,Access to Treatment,Accessibility of Health Services,Availability of Health Services,Contraception Access,Contraceptive Access,Medication Access,Accessibility, Health Services,Contraceptive Availability,Health Services Geographic Accessibility,Program Accessibility,Access to Cares,Access to Contraceptions,Access to Medication,Access to Medicine,Access to Therapies,Access to Treatments,Access, Contraception,Access, Contraceptive,Access, Medication,Accessibilities, Health Services,Accessibility, Program,Availability, Contraceptive,Care, Access to,Cares, Access to,Contraception, Access to,Contraceptive Accesses,Health Services Availability,Medication Accesses,Medication, Access to,Medicine, Access to,Medicines, Access to,Therapy, Access to,Treatment, Access to
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D058996	Quality Improvement	The attainment or process of attaining a new level of performance or quality.	Improvement, Quality,Improvements, Quality,Quality Improvements