Spatial study of homicide rates in the state of Bahia, Brazil, 1996-2010

Abstract

OBJECTIVE To analyze the spatial distribution of homicide mortality in the state of Bahia, Northeastern Brazil.METHODS Ecological study of the 15 to 39-year old male population in the state of Bahia in the period 1996-2010. Data from the Mortality Information System, relating to homicide (X85-Y09) and population estimates from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics were used. The existence of spatial correlation, the presence of clusters and critical areas of the event studied were analyzed using Moran’s I Global and Local indices.RESULTS A non-random spatial pattern was observed in the distribution of rates, as was the presence of three clusters, the first in the north health district, the second in the eastern region, and the third cluster included townships in the south and the far south of Bahia.CONCLUSIONS The homicide mortality in the three different critical areas requires further studies that consider the socioeconomic, cultural and environmental characteristics in order to guide specific preventive and interventionist practices.

Análise da qualidade da informação sobre mortalidade por homicídio a partir dos óbitos com intenção indeterminada. Bahia, Brasil, 2002-2013

“…The state of Bahia has presented annual increases in homicide rates and, in 2015, ranked first in the country's homicide rate in absolute terms (followed by São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro), with a total of 5,787 deaths/year 3,20 . The World Health Organization (WHO) 22 recommends efforts to prevent violence at a regional level, which include, among other aspects, strengthening sub-regional organizations to work on collecting and disseminating data in order to reveal the real extent of the problem.…”

“…Between 1998 and 2012, the state of Bahia, for example, moved from the twenty-second to the fifth position in homicide rates according to Federal Units (UFs) in Brazil 1 . In just over a decade, Bahia has more than tripled its average homicide rate, with some of its municipalities leading the country's homicide ranking 2,3 .…”

“…The use of spatial analysis tools assists in assessing and monitoring regional inequalities, both to identify differences in accessibility to health services and in the design of impacts of certain threats -such as homicide -and to support the planning of actions aimed at the improvement of information systems, which, within a geographical context, may require specific public actions and policies for each region and municipality 3,4 .…”

Map of homicides by firearms: profile of the victims and the assaults

“…Extrapolating the Cartesian approach in research on the epidemiological profile of homicides and building a reflection on this phenomenon in the light of theoretical aspects, such as male dominance, power relations and social representations of violence is a major challenge for researchers and the scientific community (21) .…”

Muertes ocultas: estimaciones corregidas de homicidios en Bahía, Brasil, 1996-2015

“…El ordenamiento de las defunciones y tasas de homicidio de acuerdo con los mayores índices presentados en el último quinquenio (Q4) se corroboró tanto con estudios realizados localmente que tenían el estado de Bahía y sus municipios como únicas unidades de análisis, como con estudios de bases nacionales (4,14,15) . El método de ordenamiento posibilitó considerar los años (quinquenios) anteriores y la evolución de las defunciones en el tiempo, como también focalizar el análisis a los datos más actuales.…”