The changes in living conditions during the 20th century have contributed to change morbidity and mortality standards, and the population structure. This study aims to present and discuss these changes by comparing mortality data of the City of São Paulo from 1901, 1960 and 2000. Mortality data were collected from Annual Statistical Reports of Fundação SEADE (State Data Analysis System Foundation), for 1901; from Annual Statistical Reports of the State Department of Statistics, for 1961; and from a CD-ROM of the Ministry of Health, for 2000. The population data, number of newborns and infant mortality rates were collected from the CD-ROM "500 anos de Divisão Territorial e 100 Anos de Estatísticas Demográficas Municipais" (500 years of Territory Division and 100 Years of Municipal Demographic Statistics) of FSEADE. During the 20th century, the population of the City of São Paulo increased 36-fold, the number of newborns 24-fold and deaths 13.6-fold. On the other hand, mortality rates decreased, general mortality was 2.6 times lower and infant mortality was 11.3 lower in 2000 when compared to 1901. The proportion of deaths due to infectious diseases decreased from 45.7% of total deaths in 1901 to 9.7% in 2000. Taking into consideration the 10 main causes of death for 1901, 5 were infectious diseases, corresponding to 37% of all deaths. In 1960 there were only 3 infectious diseases among the main causes of deaths, accounting for 16.1% of all deaths, and in 2000 only pneumonia was among the 10 main causes of death. Tetanus, diphtheria, whooping cough, measles, and scarlet fever were controlled in this period. Nevertheless, infectious diseases as pneumonia, septicemia, tuberculosis, and AIDS still deserve special attention from public health authorities.
Mortality; Epidemiologic transition; Infectious diseases
