Diarrhea outbreaks in northeastern Brazil in 2013, according to media and health information systems – Surveillance of climate risk and health emergencies

Abstract

This study has the objective of analyzing information about diarrhea outbreaks in Brazil’s northeast in the year 2013. Information came from electronic media and from health information systems. A total of 33 news events related to diarrhea outbreaks were identified, some of them mentioning causes and aggravating factors. The analysis of spatial and temporal distribution of the news, admissions and deaths showed that more than 100,000 persons were affected and, according to the news analyzed, the most affected states were Alagoas and Pernambuco, with a greater extent in the months from May to July. The use of alternative sources of water such as ponds, wells, water trucks and household water reservoirs were identified as the most immediate causes of these outbreaks. However, other underlying factors such as precarious water supply systems in the semi-arid region, the exceptional conditions of drought, considered the worst in the last 60 years, as well as the capacity of the health sector to respond to a large number of cases, should be considered to recover the context in which these outbreaks are produced.

Diarrhea; Semiarid region; Extreme climate events; News; Health surveillance