Studies have shown divergent findings on the evidence of associations between deaths by homicide and social indicators. The objective of this study was to conduct a bibliographic critical review regarding the associations between homicides and social indicators. The databases VHL, Scielo, Lilacs, Medline, and Scopus were searched. The descriptors used were: “violence”, “homicides”, “assaults”, added to the terms “socioeconomic factors”, “inequality”, “social disorganization”, “epidemiological factors”, “statistical analysis”, “spatial analysis”, and “ecological studies”. 49 different indicators were used. 12 indicators presented agreement as for the findings and nine indicators showed disagreement, sometimes being directly associated and other times inversely associated with the outcomes. Given the complexity of the homicides subject, some studies face a series of methodological and conceptual limitations, being also hampered by the lack of free access information available in secondary databases.
Violence; Homicides; Social indicators; Review; Statistical analysis
