Journal
NEUROEPIDEMIOLOGY
Volume 23, Issue 6, Pages 310-316Publisher
KARGER
DOI: 10.1159/000080098
Keywords
epidemiological methods; developing countries; Ecuador; neurological diseases; epilepsy; stroke; dementia; cysticercosis; neurocysticercosis
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We carried out a door-to-door survey to assess the prevalence, incidence, risk factors and possible etiology of major neurological diseases in Atahualpa, a rural village located in the coastal region of Ecuador. A total of 2,548 individuals were interviewed with standardized screening questionnaires to detect suspected cases of epilepsy, stroke and dementia, and they underwent a serum immunoblot test for the detection of anticysticercal antibodies ( phase I). Positive individuals and a random sample of negative subjects were examined by neurologists ( phase II). Then, patients with clinically confirmed disease and a control group of healthy subjects were further evaluated with complementary examinations ( phase III). Here, we describe the methodology of this field study that may be used as a model for the evaluation of neurological disorders in rural communities of developing countries. Copyright (C) 2004 S. Karger AG, Basel.
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