[Spatial analysis of integrated determinant indicators of mortality from acute diarrhea in children under 1 year of age in geographical regions]

Abstract

The scope of this study is to perform spatial analysis of integrated environmental and health indicators related to the factors affecting mortality due to diarrhea in children under 1 year of age in Brazilian regions in 2010. Seven environmental indicators, compiled from the IBGE System for Automatic Recovery of the Population Census 2010 database, were formulated. The data with respect to deaths due to diarrhea in children under 1 year of age and live births were obtained from the databases of the Mortality Information Systems and the Live Births Information System of the IT Department of the Unified Health System. The microregions located in the North and Northeast regions revealed 5 and 4 times the rate of mortality in 2009, respectively, due to diarrhea in children under 1 year of age than the Southern Region. Children under 1 year of age living in the microregions located in the North and Northeast are more exposed to risk of death from diarrhea, since the worst figures for the environmental indicators related to poverty and sanitation are concentrated in these locations. In this sense, social, economic, environmental, cultural and health public policies should be based on the principle of equity to address the different local needs of each region.