title: Avoidable deaths until 48 [corrected] months of age among children from the 2004 Pelotas birth cohort.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe avoidable deaths of children from the 2004 Pelotas Birth Cohort.
  
  
  METHODS
  The death of 92 children between 2004/2008 from Pelotas Birth Cohort were identified and classified according to the Brazilian List of Avoidable Causes of Mortality of Brazilian Unified Healthcare System. The Mortality Information System (SIM) for the State of Rio Grande do Sul (Southern Brazil) and the city of Pelotas were screened to search for deaths that occurred outside the city, as well as causes of deaths after the 1st year. Causes of infant deaths (<1 year of age) were compared between information from a sub-study and SIM. Mortality coefficients per 1,000 LB and proportional mortality for avoidable causes, including by type of health facility (traditional or Family Health Strategy) were calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mortality coefficient was 22.2/ 1,000 LB, 82 the deaths occurred in the first year of life (19.4/1,000LB), and these included 37 (45%) in the first week. More than ¾ of the deaths (70/92) were avoidable. In infancy, according to the sub-study, the majority (42/82) could be prevented through adequate care of the woman during pregnancy; according to SIM, the majority could have been prevented through adequate newborn care (32/82). There was no difference in the proportion of avoidable deaths by type of health facility.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The proportion of avoidable deaths is high. The quality of death certificate registries needs improvement so that avoidable deaths can be employed as an indicator to monitor maternal and child health care.
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-Graduação em Epidemiologia, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Rua General Osório 1227, Pelotas, RS, Brazil. lrmrgorgot@yahoo.com.br
authors.forename: Luis Ramon Marques da Rocha
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Gorgot
authors.forename: Iná
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.forename: Neiva
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Valle
authors.forename: Alicia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Matijasevich
authors.forename: Alicia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Matisajevich
authors.forename: Aluisio J D
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Barros
authors.forename: Elaine
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Albernaz
mesh_terms: D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002423:Cause of Death; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003644:Death Certificates; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007226:Infant Mortality; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D036801:Parturition; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000592:standards*