Homicides and socio-environmental determinants of health in Brazil: a systematic literature review

Abstract

Brazil currently has the highest absolute number of homicides in the world, which results from a complex range of factors. This study aimed at understanding the associations between socio-environmental determinants of health (SDH) and homicides in Brazil through a systematic literature review. The review followed PRISMA guidelines, selecting quantitative and qualitative studies published in Portuguese, English, and Spanish carried out between 2002 and 2017, available in the PubMed, MEDLINE, LILACS, SciELO and BVS-BIREME databases. Two trilingual reviewers tracked studies independently by basing on the eligibility criteria. We critically assessed the selected studies with the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) or the Checklist for Analytical Cross-Sectional Studies, depending on the study design. We considered 60 studies and grouped their SDH into categories to develop a narrative synthesis about each SDH. These categories were: territory; race/ethnicity; gender; age; social inequalities and economic factors; development; education; work and employment; drugs and trafficking; other SDH. We found some SDH were more associated with homicides, such as being young, black, male, of low education level, and also people who lived in places of high social inequality, such as urban suburbs and agricultural frontiers. Unemployment and drug trafficking, as well as intersections between various SDH were also prominent. Education seems to be a protective factor for homicide. Despite the limited capacity of interpretation due to the high range of methodological approaches, this review shows the importance of considering SDH and their intersections when developing homicide prevention policies.

Mapping disparities in homicide trends across Brazil: 2000–2014

“…Previous research has found similar effects in other South American countries. For instance, a study on homicide and youth in the state of Santa Catarina and Paraná in Paraguay showed an increase in homicide rate in the cities located on country borders and those close to highways that connect major cities in South and South East regions of Brazil and Paraguay (Wanzinack et al 2018 ). Furthermore, the North, Northeast, and Central regions of Brazil which are agricultural frontiers with land tenure-related conflicts have the highest homicide rates.…”

Lesões fatais em região crânio-facial em mulheres: análise post-mortem

“…Os homicídios de mulheres estão fortemente associados à violência praticada pelo parceiro íntimo e as relações de gênero desiguais que acabam culminando no domínio dos homens sobre o corpo e a vida de suas parceiras, representando a cultura da hegemonia, agressividade e do machismo (Wanzinack et al, 2018).…”

“…A cada duas horas uma mulher é assassinada no Brasil e por isso o país ocupa o 12º lugar do ranking mundial de homicídios de mulheres (Wanzinack, Signorelli, & Reis, 2018).…”

Violência urbana e fatores de risco relacionados ao feminicídio em contexto amazônico brasileiro

“…Another 26% of the victims had their deaths associated with passive or active actions in criminal activities. The victimization of women by homicide linked to urban violence appears not to be exclusive to Manaus and is relatively common in other large Brazilian cities like Porto Alegre (Rio Grande do Sul State) and Recife (Pernambuco State), among others 28,29,30,31,32 .…”