AIDS mortality and socioeconomic indexes in the city of Sao Paulo, 1994-2002

Objective To investigate the correlation between AIDS mortality rates and social inclusion/ exclusion indexes among male and female populations aged between 25 to 49 years. Methods: The study was carried out in 96 administrative districts of the municipality of Sao Paulo in the period 1994-2002. Mortality data were collected from the Program for Improving Local Mortality Data and from population estimates based on the 1991 and 2000 census of the State System DataAnalysis (SEADE) Institute and the Municipal Department of Planning. The indicators were obtained from the city map of exclusion (1996 and 2000). Statistical analysis was performed using Pearson's correlation test (at 5% level). Results: A signficant positive correlation was seen among men between AIDS mortality and the district life quality; index from 1994 to 1998 (p < 0.05). Among women, a significant negative correlation (p<0.05) was seen for the whole study period between AIDS mortaliy; and the equity index, which measures the proportion of illiterate women who are family heads. From 2000, it was also observed a significant negative correlation (p < 0.05) among women between AIDS mortality and the global social exclusion index. Conclusions: The study results suggest a shaft of AIDS mortality to exclusion areas and might indicate a relationship between AIDS mortality and socioeconomic factors. Further epidemiological and social sciences studies arc needed to investigate these associations.