Motor vehicle traffic as an air pollution exposure assessment method in big cities

A poluição atmosférica é uma das maiores preocupações para a saúde pública. Entre os estudos conduzidos para testar a associação entre poluição do ar e os mais diversos desfechos em saúde, alguns utilizaram dados viários e de tráfego veicular como avaliação da exposição. O presente trabalho pretende revisar e discutir alguns dos aspectos metodológicos dos estudos que utilizaram este método, principalmente em áreas onde a fonte veicular é uma grande geradora de poluentes. Realizou-se uma busca bibliográfica com palavras-chave relacionadas à poluição atmosférica e tráfego veicular, e foram selecionados artigos publicados entre os anos de 2000 e 2009. Foram constatadas várias abordagens para avaliar a exposição, enfatizando-se o método da Densidade de Tráfego Ponderada pela Distância, que considera as vias e a distância das mesmas em relação ao local de interesse e o tráfego. Além disso, destaca-se a importância do uso de técnicas de sistemas de informação geográfica (SIG) como instrumento na construção de modelos para mensurar a exposição.Air pollution is a major concern for public health. Among the studies conducted to evaluate the association between air pollution and a wide variety of outcomes, some have used motor vehicle traffic data as a method for exposure assessment. This paper intends to revise and discuss some of the methodological aspects of studies that used this method, especially in areas where vehicles are the main generating source of pollutants. We performed a literature search with keywords related to air pollution and vehicle traffic, and selected articles published between the years 2000 to 2009. We noted different approaches for assessing the exposure among the studies using vehicle traffic, with emphasis on the method named Distance Weighted Traffic Density, which considers the number of roads, the distance from the location of interest and traffic itself. Moreover, we highlight the importance of using techniques such as geographic information systems (GIS) to measure this exposure

Melanoma Cutâneo: Perfil Epidemiológico dos Óbitos no Estado de São Paulo - Brasil entre 2005 e 2014

Introduction: Cutaneous melanoma (CM) is the least common skin cancer, but it accounts for the majority of deaths. This study aimed to evaluate the epidemiological profile of deaths due to CM in the State of São Paulo, as well as to evaluate the factors that may determine their occurrence by gender.Methods: Data on CM mortality in the State of São Paulo, Brazil, between 2005 and 2014 were studied. Descriptive analyzes and univariate and multivariate logistic regression were performed to determine the probability of death in terms of gender according to demographic variables. Statistical analysis was based on OR calculation. In all analyzes, 95% confidence intervals were used and alpha = 5% level of significance was adopted.Results: During the study period 4059 deaths due to CM were identified, representing 0.9% of the general mortality due to neoplasia. Of these, 56.7% were male and 92.4% were white. The mean age at death was 63.5 years (SD = 16.3). In the multivariate logistic regression, the absence of partner and the higher level of education showed to be discordant factors between genders.Conclusion: This study evaluating the epidemiological profile of deaths due to CM, identified the predominance of the male gender, Caucasians and individuals with partners and a low level of education. There was a trend towards an increase in the number of deaths in the last 5 years of the study period. In addition, we observed differences in risk factors related to the gender.Introdução: O melanoma cutâneo (MC) é o cancro de pele menos frequente, porém, responsável pela maioria dos óbitos. Este estudo teve como objetivo avaliar o perfil epidemiológico dos óbitos por MC no Estado de São Paulo, bem como avaliar os fatores que podem determinar a sua ocorrência segundo o sexo.Métodos: Foram estudados dados relativos à mortalidade por MC no Estado de São Paulo-Brasil entre 2005 e 2014. Foram realizadas análises descritivas e regressão logística univariada e multivariada para determinar a probabilidade de óbito quanto ao sexo segundo variáveis demográficas. A análise estatística baseou-se no cálculo da OR. Em todas as análises foram considerados intervalos de confiança de 95% e adotado nível de significância de alfa= 5%.Resultados: Os 4059 óbitos por MC no período representaram 0,9% da mortalidade geral por neoplasia. Destes, 56,7% referiam-se ao sexo masculino e 92,4% à raça branca. A idade média no momento do óbito foi 63,5 anos (DP=16,3). Na regressão logística multivariada, a ausência de parceiro e o maior nível de escolaridade mostraram- -se fatores discordantes entre os sexos.Conclusão: Este estudo permitiu avaliar o perfil epidemiológico dos óbitos por melanoma, sendo possível identificar o predomínio de indivíduos do sexo masculino, da raça branca, com parceiros (as), com baixa escolaridade e uma tendência ao aumento do número de óbitos nos últimos 5 anos do período estudado. Além disso, pôde-se verificar diferenças nos fatores de risco relacionadas ao sexo dos indivíduos

Admissions due to pneumonia and biomass burning: a spatial approach

Objective: To identify spatial patterns in rates of admission for pneumonia among children and relate them to the number of fires reported in the state of Mato Grosso, Brazil. Methods: We conducted an ecological and exploratory study of data from the state of Mato Grosso for 2008 and 2009 on hospital admissions of children aged 0 to 4 years due to pneumonia and on fires in the same period. Admission rates were calculated and choropleth maps were plotted for rates and for fire outbreaks, Moran's I was calculated and the kernel estimator used to identify "hotspots." Data were analyzed using TerraView 3.3.1. Results: Fifteen thousand six hundred eighty-nine children were hospitalized (range zero to 2,315), and there were 161,785 fires (range 7 to 6,454). The average rate of admissions per 1,000 inhabitants was 2.89 (standard deviation [SD] = 5.18) and the number of fires per 1,000 inhabitants was 152.81 (SD = 199.91). Moran's I for the overall number of admissions was I = 0.02 (p = 0.26), the index for rate of admission was I = 0.02 (p = 0.21) and the index for the number of fires was I = 0.31 (p < 0.01). It proved possible to identify four municipalities with elevated rates of admissions for pneumonia. It was also possible to identify two regions with high admission densities. A clustering of fires was evident along what is known as the "arc of deforestation." Conclusions: This study identified municipalities in the state of Mato Grosso that require interventions to reduce rates of admission due to pneumonia and the number fires.FAPESP Projeto Tematico, Combustao de Biomassa de Florestas Tropicais [2008/04490-4]FAPESP Projeto Tematico, Combustao de Biomassa de Florestas Tropicai