Prevalencia de infecciones respiratorias altas en estudiantes de medicina de la Universidad de Cuenca que cursan del quinto al décimo ciclo académico, Cuenca – Ecuador 2024

Abstract

Background: acute respiratory infections (ARI) are high-frequency events in the general population that can be classified as high and low. Currently, many medical students develop high ARI due to contact with patients, but there is no research that addresses this issue. Objective: to determine the prevalence of acute upper respiratory infections in medical students at the University of Cuenca who are in the fifth to tenth cycle, 2024. Methods: a quantitative, observational and descriptive study was carried out, which included 193 students. The data were collected through a survey designed by the authors, validated by experts, applied to the students with their informed consent. The data collected were analyzed using IBM SPSS software, version 21. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the data, with information presented in tables and graphs. Results: 60.1% of students experienced an ARI in the past year. The most common infections were pharyngitis (18.7%), rhinopharyngitis (17.6%), and tonsillitis (13.5%). The predominant diagnosis was made by primary care physicians (74.1%), and the most reported sources of infection were family and friends (22.8%), followed by contact with patients (10.9%). Conclusion: ARIs are highly prevalent infections in the sample. Preventive measures should be applied in academic and clinical settings to protect the health of medical students.