[Spatial distribution of elderly individuals in a medium-sized city in São Paulo State, Brazil, according to key socio-demographic and morbidity characteristics].
Geographic Information Systems serve as important public health tools for analyzing population disease distribution and thus for identifying individuals with chronic non-communicable diseases. The current study performed a spatial analysis of the distribution of the population 60 years and older in the city of Botucatu, São Paulo State, Brazil, studying the socio-demographic profile and the presence of diabetes mellitus and arterial hypertension. Data were analyzed from 468 elderly individuals from a population survey conducted in 2001-2002. Elders with the highest socioeconomic status live in the census tracts with the highest social strata, as proven statistically by spatial analysis techniques for income and schooling. No spatial distribution pattern was found for elderly individuals with hypertension and diabetes, who were located heterogeneously on the map. The study suggests the use of geoprocessing techniques for digital mapping of areas covered by primary health care units, aimed at better monitoring of the distribution of elderly individuals with chronic diseases and their care by health professionals.
Campos
Frederico Grizzi de
FG
Faculdade de Medicina de Sorocaba, Pontifícia Universidade Católica de São Paulo, Sorocaba, Brasil. fgcampos@pucsp.br
Barrozo
Ligia Vizeu
LV
Ruiz
Tania
T
César
Chester Luiz Galvão
CL
Barros
Marilisa Berti Azevedo
MB
Carandina
Luana
L
Goldbaum
Moisés
M
D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003710:Demography; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D040362:Geographic Information Systems / Q000295:instrumentation; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D014505:Urban Population