Intra-urban inequalities in hospitalizations for respiratory and circulatory diseases in an area of the city of São Paulo

Abstract

The dynamics that exist in urban areas present consequences to health, related to social and environmental determinants, health promotion and primary care. The article maps and analyzes hospitalizations for respiratory and circulatory diseases in elderly individuals and for respiratory diseases in children by district in an area of the city of São Paulo. It compares them to the spatial distribution of the human development index, of socio-environmental quality, and of the presence of slums, using public secondary data and geo-referencing through the software ArcGis 9.2. Hospitalizations due to circulatory and respiratory diseases among the elderly showed a socio-spatial pattern. Higher rates occur in the districts with worse socio-environmental profile and low HDI, and lower rates occur in districts with better socio-environmental profile and high HDI. No socio-spatial pattern was found for children’s hospitalizations. The space distribution of morbidity reflected inequalities in the city of São Paulo.

urban health; inequalities; hospitalization; respiratory disease; circulatory disease