Waterborne infectious and parasitic diseases and respiratory diseases in an industrial area, Northern Brazil

Abstract

Barcarena city is an important industrial hub that has been subjected to environmental incidents in recent years. The present study reports the morbidity profile of waterborne infectious and parasitic diseases (IPD) and respiratory diseases (RD) among individuals living in Barcarena city is from 2008 to 2012. The survey was conducted with secondary data on mortality and hospital admission rates obtained from the Computer Department of the Ministry of Health - DATASUS. The average mortality rate (AM) to IPD indicated 0.37 deaths per 1000 inhabitants. The age group mostly represented in cases of hospitalizations caused by IPD was 0-5 years. The average coefficient of incidence due to this cause in the case of age group below five years of age was around 31.8/100,000 inhabitants. Regarding DR, children aged between 0 and 14 years are apparently the most exposed ones, corresponding to 62.85% of the cases, and the elderly over 60 years of age are the most exposed, with 15.16% of the cases. Incidence and mortality rates due to DR were in the order of 39/100,000 inhabitants. The health indicators studied warn that populations in Barcarena are under possible risks to health and suggest that more specific studies on quantitative and qualitative possible environmental contamination in the region are still needed.

Keywords:
epidemiology; waterborne diseases; respiratory diseases; industries