Deaths from homicides: a historical series

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: to describe mortality from homicides in Itabuna, in the State of Bahia. METHOD: study with hybrid, ecological and time-trend design. The mortality coefficients per 1,000 inhabitants, adjusted by the direct technique, proportional mortality by sex and age range, and Potential Years of Life Lost were all calculated. RESULTS: since 2005, the external causes have moved from third to second most-common cause of death, with homicides being responsible for the increase. In the 13 years analyzed, homicides have risen 203%, with 94% of these deaths occurring among the male population. Within this group, the growth occurred mainly in the age range from 15 to 29 years of age. It was ascertained that 83% of the deaths were caused by firearms; 57.2% occurred in public thoroughfares; and 98.4% in the urban zone. In 2012, the 173 homicides resulted in 7,837 potential years of life lost, with each death causing, on average, the loss of 45.3 years. CONCLUSIONS: mortality by homicide in a medium-sized city in Bahia reaches levels observed in the big cities of Brazil in the 1980s, evidencing that the phenomenon of criminality - formerly predominant only in the big urban centers - is advancing into the rural area of Brazil, causing changes in the map of violent homicide in Brazil.

Lesões provocadas por armas de fogo atendidas em serviços de urgência e emergência brasileiros

“…The high level of young men with low level of schooling and of black or black-mixed race among the victims, seen in the analysis of the care reported in the 2014 VIVA Survey reproduces what has been seen in analyses of mortality, in hospitalization, and has been widely demonstrated in the literature on the subject 1,[13][14][15][16][17][18] . In the subgroup of assaults, firearms injuries have historically had percentages similar to those in the VIVA Survey: In 2006 the percentage was 15.1% 6 , in 2011 it was 14.9% 19 , and in 2014 it was 15.9%.…”

Epidemiologia da mortalidade por agressões em idosos

“…5 These findings can be associated with strong social inequalities, low average levels of schooling, as well as the existence of areas of agricultural frontiers with intense conflicts over land tenure, common characteristics in less socio-economically developed regions of Brazil. 5,21 The prevalence of mortality due to aggression in males presented in this study by other authors was observed. 15, It is detailed in a research carried out in 2013 and found a mortality coefficient for aggressions (60-69 years) of 19.5 / 100 thousand among the elderly and 2.6 / 100 thousand inhabitants among the elderly.…”

“…29 It is noticed that among the general population, a study conducted in Itabuna, Bahia, found that 57.2% of the deaths due to aggression occurred on public roads; 20.5% in hospital; 11.9%, in another place and only 10.4% occurred at the victim's home. 21 It is recommended by the Pan American Health Organization that the health sector should help seek solutions and applications of preventive measures and control of all forms of violence against the elderly. In this context, there is a marked prevalence of deaths due to aggression in the elderly's own home, Primary Health Care (PHC) has an enormous potential to build strategies for prevention, early detection and follow-up of individuals and families vulnerable to situations of violence since their professionals routinely work in the home of the elderly.…”

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

“…A study of homicides in Itabuna/BA from 2000 to 2012 found that the data on homicide mortality rates in males showed an increase in all age groups, especially between 15 and 29 years of age. The coefficients increased from 1.0 to 6.2 deaths per 1,000 inhabitants, as did the female, where the highest rates were also recorded in this age group, ranging from 0.08 in 2000 to 0.11 in 2012 (7) . A study with health professionals of the Family Health Strategy found that violence seldom appears as an immediate demand service, but it is substantial as implied demand, requiring the expansion of the professional work objective to recognize it as a problem whose prevention and coping are inherent in the sector, as this is a reality that has an intrinsic relation to the health-disease process, focusing on all acting in health (8) and it affects the victims, as well as the family and the community where they live.…”

“…The National Council of Municipalities (Conselho Nacional dos Municípios -CNM) considers it important to measure the murders committed, not only due to the severity of this type of crime, but also because it is an accurate barometer of violent crime in the context in focus, as well as the frequency of the use of firearms in the act of such crimes (5) . Another problem in deaths from violence is due to the fact that it victimizes the young population range, which causes violent deaths and are the leading cause of death among adolescents and young adults (6)(7) . A study of homicides in Itabuna/BA from 2000 to 2012 found that the data on homicide mortality rates in males showed an increase in all age groups, especially between 15 and 29 years of age.…”