Trends in mortality due to ischemic heart disease in the municipality of Goiania, Brazil, during the years between 1980 and 1994.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the trends of specific, standardized coefficients of mortality due to ischemic heart disease according to sex and age during the years 1980 and 1994 in the municipality of Goiania, GO, Brazil. METHODS: Data on deaths were retrieved from the Information on Mortality System of the Ministry of Health; population data were obtained from the Foundation of the Brazilian Institute for Geography and Statistics (IBGE). The trends of the specific coefficients were analyzed by triennia of the historical series, including individuals of both sexes from 25 years of age on, partitioned into 6 age groups of ten years intervals. The population data corresponding to the year 1980 were used as the standard for the calculation of each age group coefficient. Analyses were carried out by straight linear regression. RESULTS: Coefficients were greater for males in each triennium of the series and increased with age in both sexes. The study of the trends of the specific age coefficients of both sexes revealed a stable pattern of evolution up to the age of 65-74 years (P > 0.05). From 75 years on, a clear-cut decline in mortality due to ischemic heart disease was shown by both sexes. The standardized coefficients also showed a significant decline (p < or = 0.05). CONCLUSION: The municipality of Goiânia is at present in a stage of epidemiological transition similar to that of developed countries, even though the observed decline is predominantly influenced by the mortality of older individuals (75 years of age or older).

[Evolution of socioeconomic determinants of health in childhood in the city of São Paulo, Brazil (1984-1996)]. / Evolução de condicionantes socioeconômicas da saúde na infância na cidade de São Paulo (1984-1996).

OBJECTIVE: Two consecutive household surveys undertaken in the mid-80s and mid-90s in the city of S. Paulo, Brazil, made possible to establish time trends of several child health determinants and indicators as well as to analyse the relationships among them. The study intends to report trends in socioeconomic determinants of child health. METHODS: Random samples of the population aged from zero to 59 months were studied: 1,016 children in the period 1984-85 and 1,280 children in 1995-96. Both surveys investigated the family's per capita income and the mother's years of schooling. Nominal incomes were deflated according to the National Consumer Prices Index and expressed as values of October 1997. RESULTS: From mid-80s to mid-90s average family income doubled and the proportion of low income families was reduced by 50% while average maternal schooling increased by 1.5 years and maternal illiteracy was almost eradicated. Income concentration increased in the period. CONCLUSIONS: Increases in income and schooling are higher than those reported for the whole population in the country, which may be attributed to selective declines in fertility among the city's poorest families. The influence that changes in family income and maternal schooling may have exerted on several child health indicators is examined in subsequent articles.

[Health, nutrition and the social classes: the empirical link evident in a large urban center, Brazil]. / Saúde, nutrição e classes sociais: o nexo empírico evidenciado em um grande centro urbano, Brasil.

The relationship between social class and nutritional status, although frequently presumed true, has scarcely ever been studied empirically. The health and nutritional status of a sample of children from different social classes in the city of S. Paulo (Brazil) are studied by means of an on operational classification of social class. Through the analysis of the height for age distribution normal growth--and, therefore, favourable health status--as found only among the burgeoisie and the small-burgeoisie, these two classes together constituting about 30% of the total population. Significant divergences from an expected anthropometric standard were found among all the segments of the working-class population. Differences in income and schooling among the classes corroborate the empirical link found between social class and health and nutritional status.