OBJECTIVE: An assessment of the evolution of the profile of mortality from avoidable diseases, in the municipality of Maringá, PR (Brazil), 1980 through 1993, as related to the quality of health attendance. METHODS: Based on the proposal to study caregiving results, eleven causes of avoidable deaths were selected. The evolution of resources available, level of schooling and sanitation were associated with the evolution of mortality. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: The data revealed that the mortality rates for most of the avoidable causes tended to decline faster than those for other causes (a reduction of 39% as against 16%). A significant improvement in schooling and sanitary conditions was also observed over the same period. The positive evolution of the general health status of the population makes it difficult to credit the decline of avoidable deaths directly to the health services, but the difference between the mortality rates from avoidable causes and others allows one to infer that if despite the satisfactory living conditions there were an outbreak of avoidable deaths it would indicate a lack of efficiency on the part of the health services. Under the circumstances verified, the decrease in the rate of mortality from avoidable causes can be partly attributed to the expansion of the health services.
Outcome and process assessment; Mortality; Ambulatory care