OBJECTIVE To analyze the spatial distribution of risk for tuberculosis and its socioeconomic determinants in the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. METHODS An ecological study on the association between the mean incidence rate of tuberculosis from 2004 to 2006 and socioeconomic indicators of the Censo Demográfico (Demographic Census) of 2000. The unit of analysis was the home district registered in the Sistema de Informação de Agravos de Notificação (Notifiable Diseases Information System) of Rio de Janeiro, Southeastern Brazil. The […]

OBJECTIVE: To assess ecological models to describe infant mortality rate in Ceara (Northeastern Brazil) in two different periods of time. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional ecologic study of two years, 1991 and 2000, using non-matching information per municipalities. Estimates on the infant mortality rate of the Instituto de Pesquisas Econômicas Aplicadas (Institute of Applied Economic Research) have been used. For the remaining indicators different sources of the System of Health Information were used. The main risk factors were assessed using […]

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate test-retest reliability of social network-related information of the” Pró-Saúde” study. METHODS: A test-retest reliability study was conducted using a multidimensional questionnaire applied to a cohort of university employees. The same questionnaire was filled out twice by 192 non-permanent employees with two weeks apart. Agreement was estimated using kappa statistics (categorical variables), weighted kappa statistics, log-linear models (ordinal variables), and intraclass correlation coefficient (discrete variables). RESULTS: Estimates of reliability were higher than 0.70 for most variables. Stratified analyses […]

OBJECTIVE: Air pollution has been investigated as a potential determinant for low birthweight. The aim of the present study was to study the effect of air pollution on birthweight. METHODS: We analyzed all deliveries by mothers living in the municipality of Sao Paulo, Southeastern Brazil, between 1998 and 2000. We estimated the prevalence of low birthweight according to newborn, mother, and delivery characteristics. Only births occurring in the most central districts of the city were analyzed, totaling 311.735 events. For […]