Transition of the morbidity and mortality profile in a municipality in the interior of the Brazilian Amazon.
BACKGROUND
The morbidity and mortality profile in a given region reflects its quality of life and provides tools for improving public health policies in that region.


METHODS
A cross-sectional epidemiological study was performed using secondary mortality data collected from the Monte Negro municipality of the Brazilian Western Amazon from 2000 to 2011. These data were compared with data from similar municipalities in other Brazilian macro-regions. Data were obtained through the Departamento de Informática do Sistema Único de Saúde (DATASUS) information system.


RESULTS
The number of deaths reported over the study period was 606. The most common cause of death was external causes of morbidity and mortality [International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-10 chapter 20], followed by diseases of the circulatory system (ICD-10 chapter 9). Among the causes of death according to age group, infectious and parasitic diseases were the most common for 2- to 9-year-old children; external causes of disease were the most prevalent for 10- to 59-year-old people; and circulatory diseases prevailed in individuals over 60 years of age. Eleven percent of deaths were due to unknown causes.


CONCLUSIONS
These results point to a fragility in the public policies for prevention and awareness of this problem. Infectious and parasitic diseases contribute only 4.5% of deaths, but had the third highest Disability-Adjusted Life Year score (1,190 days). Improving support to the Estratégia Saúde da Família (Family Health Strategy) program and implementing a death verification service would significantly aid in reducing the occurrence of non-transmissible chronic diseases and clarifying unknown causes of death.
Departamento de Medicina, Faculdade São Lucas, Porto Velho, Rondônia, Brazil.
Gabriel de Deus
Gde D
Vieira
Departamento de Medicina, Faculdade São Lucas, Porto Velho, Rondônia, Brazil.|Núcleo de Medicina Tropical, Centro de Medicina Tropical de Rondônia, Porto Velho, Rondônia, Brazil.
Sergio de Almeida
Sde A
Basano
Departamento de Medicina, Faculdade São Lucas, Porto Velho, Rondônia, Brazil.|Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas 5, Universidade de São Paulo, Monte Negro, Rondônia, Brazil.|Centro de Pesquisa em Medicina Tropical, Porto Velho, Rondônia, Brazil.
Luís Marcelo Aranha
LM
Camargo
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001938:Brazil; D002423:Cause of Death; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007256:Information Systems; D038801:International Classification of Diseases; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055815:Young Adult