Caracterização sócio-epidemiológica dos óbitos até 1 ano de idade em Santa Cruz do Sul : instrumento metodológico para aperfeiçoamento de gestão territorial em saúde.

Abstract

The following paper analyzes children’s deaths up to the age of 1 year which have occurred in the country of Santa Cruz do Sul, focusing on their main causes, distribution and relation to health policies.The survey has been carried out in Santa Cruz do Sul, which has the 8th largest Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in Rio Grande do Sul and which manages the SUS (Integrated Health System) itself. Nonetheless it has shown a high death rate during 2003/04. The data have been collected by means of Declarations of Children Born Alive, Death Certificates, home and hospitals inquiries through verbal autopsy/home inquiry, analyses of the death certificates and technical and scientific evaluations by invited pediatricians about the medical assistance received by the children. We have observed a total figure of fewer 57 death cases within 1 year of study, having the majority of deaths (54,4%) occurred with children between 0 and 28 days of age (neonatal mortality) intrinsically related to pregnancy conditions, labor and physical conditions of the children. Moreover, the study points out to the importance of factors that influence the increase of vulnerability as well as the occurrence of deaths, i.e., socio-economical condition of the mothers -especially their low schooling level – and the quality of services rendered to mothers and infants alike. The research highlights the importance of verbal autopsy/home inquiry as a qualitative tool for to implementation of actions able to reduce the incidence of death among newborns.