[Linking of information from health and security databases on homicides].
OBJECTIVE
Increased homicide rates in the city of Sao Paulo, Brazil, in the last two decades points out to the need for better understanding this subject. The purpose of the present study was to link information about homicide from different sources of data.


METHODS
Homicide data from death certificates, medical examiners and police records of residents in the city of Sao Paulo was linked for the second semester of 2001. Variables about victims, risk factors and homicide circumstances were analyzed using absolute numbers, proportions and coefficients. Statistical differences were tested using Pearson's Chi-square test.


RESULTS
Homicide crude rate was 57.2/100,000. Higher rates were observed among men aged 15 to 29 years (56.0% of all cases). The proportion of firearm-related homicides was 88.6%, higher among men than women. Most injuries were to the head (68.9%). Among the victims who underwent to drug screening, 42.5% had high blood alcohol concentrations (44.0% for men and 24.0% for women). Most events occurred at night during weekends and it was found a high correlation (74.6%) between the victim's place of residence and event location.


CONCLUSIONS
The study findings highlight that linking information provides better quality of data and allows for better understanding of homicides.
Gawryszewski
Vilma Pinheiro
VP
Saúde do Estado de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brasil. vilmapg@saude.sp.gov.br
Kahn
Túlio
T
de Mello Jorge
Maria Helena Prado
MH
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002423:Cause of Death; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D016208:Databases, Factual / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003644:Death Certificates; D005260:Female; D005389:Firearms / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006708:Homicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017150:Public Sector; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012737:Sex Factors; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D014754:Violence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*