INTRAURBAN DIFFERENTIALS IN DEATH RATES FROM HOMICIDE IN THE CITY OF SAO-PAULO, BRAZIL 1988-1994

The objective of this research was to analyze the relationship between socioeconomic statistics and homicide mortality rates in the city of Sao Paulo between 1988 and 1994. City districts were grouped into five geographic areas. A socioeconomic indicator (ISE) was constructed wit h census information combining average income of the family head, illi teracy rate for the population over 5 yr of age, average number of roo ms and number of persons per household. The higher the score, the bett er the socioeconomic situation (possible values: 4 to 384).Deaths from homicide were grouped by residential areas, and the rates for these a reas were calculated. The association between homicide rates and the s ocioeconomic situation was analyzed with Spearman correlation coeffici ents. Average ISE scores varied from 291 in the Central area (homicide rate = 27.96 deaths per 100 000) to 119.9 in the East area (homicide rate= 40.38). The Spearman coefficient between ISEs and homicide rates was -0.98 (p < 0.05). Due to the heterogeneity inside the areas, the median ISE is a better indicator of the socioeconomic conditions yield ing an r(s)= - 1.0. Almost half the population resides in areas with t he highest risk of homicide mortality (East and South). Taking the Cen tral area as a reference, we found risks of 1.36 in the Western, 1.37 in the Northern, 1.44 in the Eastern and 2.67 in the Southern areas. ( C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.