title: [Differences in living conditions and health between cities: construction of a composite indicator].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe an index to identify inequities in living conditions and health and its relationship with health planning.
  
  
  METHODS
  Variables and indicators that would reflect demographic, economic, environment and education processes as well as supply and production of health services were applied for nondimensional scaling and clustering of 5,507 Brazilian municipalities. Data sources were the 2000 Census and the Brazilian Ministry of Health information systems. Z-score test statistic and cluster analysis were performed allowing to defining 4 groups of municipalities by living conditions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was seen a polarization between the group with the best living conditions and health (Group 1) and the group with the worst living conditions (Group 4). Group 1 consisted of municipalities with larger populations while Group 4 comprised mainly the smallest municipalities. As for Brazilian macroregions, municipalities in Group 1 are clustered in the south and southeast and those in Group 4 are in the Northeast.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The living conditions and health index comprises reality dimensions such as housing, environment and health which allows to identifying the most vulnerable municipalities and can provide input for setting priorities, and developing criteria for more equitable financing and resource allocation.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Estudos de Saúde Coletiva, Faculdade de Medicina do ABC, Santo André, SP, Brasil. olindaca@uol.com.br
authors.forename: Olinda do Carmo
authors.initials: Odo C
authors.lastname: Luiz
authors.forename: Luiza Sterman
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Heimann
authors.forename: Roberta Cristina
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Boaretto
authors.forename: Adriana Galvão
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Pacheco
authors.forename: Umberto Catarino
authors.initials: UC
authors.lastname: Pessoto
authors.forename: Lauro Cesar
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Ibanhes
authors.forename: Iracema Ester do Nascimento
authors.initials: IE
authors.lastname: Castro
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kayano
authors.forename: Virginia
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Junqueira
authors.forename: Jucilene Leite da
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Rocha
authors.forename: Carlos Tato
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Cortizo
authors.forename: Emílio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Telesi Junior
mesh_terms: D001938:Brazil; D019352:Censuses; D002947:Cities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D003710:Demography; D004522:Educational Status; D006285:Health Planning; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006798:Housing / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D012924:Social Conditions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors