‘An empty bag cannot stand upright’: The Bolsa Família Program and mortality caused by malnutrition

ABSTRACT

The health of a person is the result of socioeconomic factors, especially those pertaining to preventable conditions, such as malnutrition in early childhood. Thus, this study investigated the relation between child mortality caused by malnutrition and the health measures of the Bolsa Família (Family Allowance) program in Brazil, comparing nationwide data with data from the state of Rio Grande do Sul. The Pearson correlation coefficient was used to analyze data from Bolsa Família (the number of families benefitting from the program, the health conditions it requires for eligibility, and the amount of money transferred to the families) in relation to malnutrition mortality rates among children under five, from 2005 to 2014. The data, collected between August and September 2016, were obtained from the Social Information Center (Matriz de Informação Social) of the Live Birth Information System (Sistema de Informações Sobre Nascidos Vivos) and the Mortality Information System (Sistema de Informações de Mortalidade) of Brazil. The results demonstrate that Bolsa Família functions by transferring income, which positively affects the nutrition of children, and that its intersectionality allows for better citizenship conditions for families, by broadening access to public services and participating in health promotion and disease prevention programs.

KEYWORDS
Child mortality; Malnutrition; Health promotion; Intersectoral collaboration