Spatial analysis of epidemiological and quality indicators of health services for leprosy in hyperendemic areas in Northeastern Brazil

• Published in: Revista do Instituto de Medicina Tropical de São Paulo 2020-01, Vol.62, p.e93-12
• Main Authors: Barbosa, Celivane Cavalcanti, Bonfim, Cristine Vieira do, Brito, Cintia Michele Gondim de, Souza, Wayner Vieira de, Melo, Marcella Fernandes de Oliveira, Medeiros, Zulma Maria de
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Bayes Theorem; Brazil - epidemiology; Endemic Diseases - statistics & numerical data; Epidemiology; Female; Health Information Systems; Health Services - statistics & numerical data; Humans; Leprosy; Leprosy - epidemiology; Male; Middle Aged; Original; Population Surveillance; Quality Indicators, Health Care; Spatial Analysis; TROPICAL MEDICINE; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1678-9946; 0036-4665; 1678-9946
• DOI: 10.1590/S1678-9946202062093

Leprosy is a public health problem due to the physical disabilities and deformities it causes. This study aimed to describe new leprosy cases using an operational classification and analyzing spatial patterns by means of epidemiological and quality indicators of health services in Pernambuco State, Brazil, between 2005 and 2014. This was an ecological study performed in 184 municipalities grouped into 12 health regions units for analysis. To analyze spatial patterns, the Bayesian local empirical method and Moran's spatial autocorrelation indicator were applied and box and Moran maps were used. Individuals aged ≥15 years old, grade zero physical disability and complete remission as the treatment outcome were predominant in both paucibacillary and multibacillary cases, the only difference was the predominance of females (n=9,286; 63.00%) and males (n=8,564; 60.70%), respectively. These variables were correlated (p