Alexandra Health Centre and its Patients: Patients Trends, Age, Sex and Address Profiles

Abstract

We report on three surveys looking at patient loads in different days of a week and at sex, age and address profiles of patients attending the Alexandra Health Centre and University Clinic (AHC) in Wynberg, Johannesburg. Most patients come from Alexandra, but a significant proportion comes from Sandton and the surrounding 'white residential and industrial areas'. Thursday peaks in attendance, (domestic workers off duty days?) reflect the lack of health care facilities for 'Black' workers in Sandton. Squatters are believed to account for > 40% of the Alexandra population but they account for less than 2% of our overall total attendances. (Under-utilisation of services by the squatter communities?) Females and small children account for most attendances at the AHC, but paediatric attendances have been decreasing consistently foe unknown reasons. Overall, the data points clearly to the need to expand health services to the squatters and to expand our geriatric care services, meeting the needs of those we care trying to target without turning anyone away. An unresolved issue is the value of information on address as an indicator of risk for individual patient management but grouped data is important for service development.