ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE To estimate the prevalence of accidental falls in women and to identify possible associations of sociodemographic, clinical and lifestyle variables with falls, in 2007 and 2014. METHODS Two cross-sectional studies were performed, in 2007 and 2014, within the Projeto de Saúde de Pindamonhangaba (PROSAPIN – Pindamonhangaba Health Project), with women aged between 35 to 75 years. Probabilistic samples were selected among women living in the municipality and participating in the Health Family Strategy. Data collection included: face-to-face interview, […]

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE To describe the level and temporal trends of homicide impunity in Brazil. METHODS This is an ecological study that calculated two impunity indexes by dividing the total number of homicides committed in a 5-year period by the number of individuals arrested for murder (homicide impunity) or any other cause (general impunity) two years after this period. The Prais-Winsten linear regression model with serial autocorrelation correction was used to estimate the temporal trend of the impunity indexes. RESULTS Between […]

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE To quantify the occurrence of deaths directly associated with urban violence among fatal work-related accidents. METHODS Verbal autopsies were performed with the relatives and coworkers of residents of Campinas, state of São Paulo, Brazil, who died from external causes in 2015. We have also analyzed police reports and reports of the Legal Medical Institute related to these deaths. RESULTS We have identified 82 fatal work-related accidents in Campinas in 2015, of which 25 were murders, 35 were traffic […]

OBJECTIVE To analyze the spatial distribution of homicide mortality in the state of Bahia, Northeastern Brazil. METHODS Ecological study of the 15 to 39-year old male population in the state of Bahia in the period 1996-2010. Data from the Mortality Information System, relating to homicide (X85-Y09) and population estimates from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics were used. The existence of spatial correlation, the presence of clusters and critical areas of the event studied were analyzed using Moran’s I […]

OBJECTIVE To analyze deaths from external causes and undefined causes in women of childbearing age occurring during pregnancy and early postpartum. METHODS The deaths of 399 women of childbearing age, resident in Recife, Northeastern Brazil, in the period 2004 to 2006, were studied. The survey utilized the Reproductive Age Mortality Survey method and a set of standardized questionnaires. Data sources included reports from the Institute of Legal Medicine, hospital and Family Health Strategy records and interviews with relatives of the […]

OBJECTIVE: To supplement the information on the underlying cause of death due to external causes through using news carried in newspapers. METHODS: This study investigated 153 deaths due to external causes among people living in Belo Horizonte, Southeastern Brazil, in 2008. A database named “press” was constructed using information from large-circulation national and state-level newspapers, and this was correlated with the database of the Brazilian mortality information system. The data were analyzed using the EpiInfo and Link-plus software. The concordance […]

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the characteristics of visits to the emergency services that result from falls and to identify the factors associated with these visits. METHOD: A cross-sectional study of 12,617 visits that resulted from falls, recorded in the National Injury Surveillance System, was carried out. The data were collected in 23 Brazilian capitals and the Federal District between September and November 2009 using cluster sampling. Correspondence analysis was used, which allowed for the joint observation of a large number of […]

The paper describes the situation of road traffic accidents in Brazil since 1998, when a new Brazilian traffic law was approved, up to the year 2010. A review of both academic and non-academic literature was carried out, including journals (both indexed and non-indexed), technical reports, author searches, searches in paper reference lists and direct contact with researchers. The main problems related to road traffic accidents in Brazil identified were the increase in the absolute number of deaths and in the […]

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the socioeconomic background and its relationship with spatial distribution of mortality due to violence. METHODS: Ecological study conducted to explore the space distribution of mortality due to violence in the city of Vitória, Southeastern Brazil, between 2000 and 2003, based on population and socioeconomic information. Mortality data were correlated with information on victim’s place of residence, type of violence, gender, and skin color. Data were analyzed using space average, odds ratio, and cluster analysis. RESULTS: There were […]

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the evolution of homicide mortality rates in Belo Horizonte and its metropolitan area, Southeastern Brazil, from 1980 to 2005. METHODS: Deaths by homicide were obtained from the SIM (Mortality Information System). Population estimates by sex, age group and calendar-years were obtained from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE). The specific mortality rates for sex and age groups were calculated annually for each geographic region. The trends analysis was carried out using polynomial regression models for […]