[The spatial grouping of myocardial infarct in Portugal. The application of the methods of Grimson and of Moran].
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was to apply techniques of space grouping (clusters) to identify the existence of eventual clusters. The application of these techniques to illnesses, such as cardiovascular ones, may generate work hypotheses, in order to know the dynamics of the risk factors.


METHODS
We used two techniques, Grimson's test and the Moran's I for the study of the behaviour of standardised mortality ratio (SMR) for myocardium infarction at a municipal level. The SMR had been calculated by municipalities, for men, women and both in the period of 1985-1989, based on the data of the INE.


RESULTS
We verified that any of the two methods suggests the existence of clusters for the infarct of the myocardium, identifying regions in the country in which SMR are above that expected, implying the presence of "identical denominators" or other common ones.


CONCLUSIONS
The use of these techniques for cardiovascular illnesses could be useful as a scientific form of identifying regions of high and low risk, making it possible for epidemiological studies to be made of the different known and unknown risk factors contributing to the implementation of preventive measures.
Cardoso
S M
SM
Epidemiologia e Medicina Preventiva, Faculdade de Medicina de Coimbra.
D016000:Cluster Analysis; D004812:Epidemiologic Methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000401:mortality*; D011174:Portugal / Q000453:epidemiology; D017678:Sex Distribution
Agrupamento espacial do enfarte do miocárdio em Portugal. Aplicação dos métodos de Grimson e de Moran.