Abstract
Despite new improvements in AIDS treatment, preventive measures are still essential to control the epidemic. Effective programs almost always depend on correct and efficient allocation of scarce health resources. Detailed information on the epidemic, such as where, when, and how the epidemic will spread are of great value. This study was conducted to obtain a better understanding of the dissemination of AIDS cases in four important Brazilian States. Spatial diffusion patterns were evaluated qualitatively by studying sequential maps and quantitatively by analyzing spatial correlograms. Ten years were analyzed, grouped in three periods (1987-1989, 1990-1992, and 1993-1996). The diffusion process was studied for both total AIDS cases and male and female cases. Diffusion of AIDS cases presented specific characteristics for each of the four States. Information derived from the study, especially the results of the correlogram analysis, improve our understanding of the epidemic's spatial diffusion in different parts of the country and can also be used to determine parameters for other AIDS epidemiological models.
Highlights
Apesar de existir há mais de duas décadas, a epidemia da Acquired Immunological Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) permanece com questões a serem respondidas
Inicialmente, até meados da década de 80, a maioria dos casos notificados tinha as relações homossexuais como categoria de exposição e, em menor grau, as transfusões de sangue/hemoderivados, categoria na qual os hemofílicos eram especialmente atingidos
Geograficamente, pôde ser evidenciada a “interiorização” dos casos de AIDS no território brasileiro, assim como o aumento da participação dos municípios de menor porte na epidemia – em particular, nos casos decorrentes de transmissão heterossexual (Bastos & Barcelos, 1995; Szwarcwald et al, 1997)
Summary
Apesar de existir há mais de duas décadas, a epidemia da Acquired Immunological Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) permanece com questões a serem respondidas. Os padrões de difusão espacial dos casos de AIDS para ambos os sexos em quatro Estados – Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Santa Catarina e Bahia – foram avaliados qualitativamente, mediante o estudo de mapas seqüenciais, e quantitativamente, através da análise de correlogramas espaciais, para o período de 1987 a 1996.
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