[Social capital, violent deaths, and cancer mortality in Colombia: a population approach].
OBJECTIVE
In Colombia there are evidences that social capital (SC) is associated with greater rates of violent crime ("perverse" SC). This study explores the relation between SC, violent deaths (1973-1996), and the accumulated occurrence of cancer deaths (1990-1996).


METHODS
An ecologic study with the 33 Colombian departments was carried out. Correlations between violent deaths (inverse proxy of SC), the internal displacement ratio, and the mortality rates by each type of cancer. With robust regressions the effect of violent deaths ("perverse" SC) on the occurrence of mortality cancer were explored, adjusting by economic convergence or polarization (1960-1995), and the internal displacement ratio until 1996.


RESULTS
Positive correlations (p < 0.05) between violent deaths ("perverse "CS) and all types of cancer, except breast and lung among men, were observed. In all the cases statistically significant associations were observed, after adjust by departments' economic convergence/polarization and internal displacement.


CONCLUSIONS
This study shows a direct relation between violent deaths on the occurrence of cancer. The findings obtained here suggest an inverted U shape relation between SC and disease occurrence.
Idrovo
Alvaro Javier
AJ
Centro de Investigacion en Salud Poblacional, Instituto Nacional de Salud Púlica, Cuernavaca, Morelos, México. idrovoaj@hotmail.com
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003105:Colombia / Q000453:epidemiology; D004467:Economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006708:Homicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000145:classification / Q000401:mortality*; D012941:Social Responsibility; D012944:Social Support; D014754:Violence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*