TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2010//
TI  - Self-reported health complaints in a primary care population living under stressful conditions in the Gaza Strip, Palestine
JO  - Medicine, conflict and survival
A1  - Abu-Mourada, Tayser
A1  - Koutis, Anotonis
A1  - Alegakis, Athanasios
A1  - Markaki, Adelais
A1  - Jildeh, Christine
A1  - Lionis, Christos D.
A1  - Philalithis, Anastas
SP  - 68
EP  - 79
VL  - 26
IS  - 1
N2  - BACKGROUND: The population in the Gaza Strip has been living under chronically stressful conditions as a result of the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict. OBJECTIVES: To identify health complaints reported by attendants consulting primary care physicians in the Gaza Strip. METHODS: The study took place in 10 governmental primary health care centres and 5 clinics of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency in the Gaza Strip, during autumn 2005. Self-reported health complaints were recorded through face-to-face interviews with 956 respondents using a validated and reliable questionnaire. RESULTS: Abdominal pain and headache were the most frequent complaints reported among patients aged 18 to 44 years, accounting for 23.3% and 22.7% of total complaints in males and females, respectively. Fatigue and joint pain were the most common complaints among patients aged 45 years and above, accounting for 26% and 33.9% of total complaints in males and females, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The most common complaints, as reported by patients attending PHC facilities were stress-related and could be attributed to the ongoing conflict and high level of violence and uncertainty in the area. These complaints present a challenge to primary care providers in their efforts to improve the everyday quality of life of Palestinian residents with scarce means and resources.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 1362-3699
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/
ID  - ref1
ER  -