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Project Description:
Introduction: An early diagnosis and a prompt and adequate medical treatment are the key
to prevent disability in children and adolescents with Rheumatic Diseases (RD). However, in Mexico, this statement
is difficult to achieve, since the social ignorance regarding RD in Childhood, the lack of continuing medical
education in primary care physicians and the low-income of the majority of the population, are the principal negative
factors affecting the early diagnosis and the prompt and adequate treatment, leading to the development of
disability in these kind of patients.
Aim of the Project: To prevent disability in Mexican children and adolescents with RD.
The Project: A new-Rotary sponsored, non-profit, not Government, permanent and nationwide coverage project
fully supported by the Rotarian Club "Florida Satelite" and the 4170 Rotarian District. The project has the principal mission
of "prevent disability rather than treat it" ; with two principal tasks or "arms of action":
1) Information: To offer to the general population current and basic information in regard to childhood RD aimed to
increase the acknowledgment and sensitization for these kind of diseases in the general population and to improve the
reference period to the specialist.
2) Continuing medical education: To establish a program in childhood RD aimed to improve the knowledge of first
contact physicians in this kind of diseases and to enhance the early reference of patients and the opportune diagnosis by
the specialist.
Expected Results: (include the number of people directly/indirectly affected by this project)
1) Information: Indirectly, the general population in Mexico (≥ 40-50 million of habitants) will be beneficiated with the
However, our direct target includes not only families with newly diagnosed children with RD (approximately 5,000 per year),
but also families with children already affected with a RD (approximately 50,000) and families with children with
musculoskeletal complaints (approximately 5,250,000 per year) in all the country.
2) Continuing medical education program: The attendance expectations for the program in the first year will be between
0.3 to 0.5% from the 265,000 general physicians and 85,000 specialists in all the country.
The transformation of the health status, the prevention of disability, the decrease in morbility and mortality and the
improvement of quality of life in children with RD are the principal long-term goals of the project.
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