Utilização de autópsias verbais na investigação da causa básica de óbito de crianças menores de um ano de idade em três municípios do Ceará

Abstract

This study, was done in three municipalities of Ceará with Primary Health services funcioning at least four years. It was investigated with an epidemiological instrument, the verbal autopsy (VA), 215 deaths of children less one year of age, 90% of total identificated deaths from january, 1993 to dezember 1994. It was investigated social and economicas caratheristics, care with the children, nutricional status, basic cause of death. It was investigated too, the funcioning of Mortality Information Sistem (SIM), the Information Sistem of Comunitary Health Workers (CHW) Sistem and the sickness-assistance and death process. The basic cause of the investigated deaths by the VA was diarrhoea (39,1%), prematurity (17,2%) and acute respiratory infection (ARI), 10,2%. About the sickness-assistance and death process, 49,5% of the children died at home, however 79% of the families have had search for health services during the children sickness. This indicates low efectivity in identification and treatment of sick infants. The families search for popular healers in 84% of cases. The CHW was searched for 29% families, however have had notificated 78% of investigated deaths, showing the necessity of better training. The statistical concordance between information of CHW and VA about basic cause of death was good to diarrhoea, regular to other cases, and low to ARI. In the discussion is related actions of health workers of three municipalities based on the information of VA to reduce infant mortality. The study concluded that the investigation of infant deaths with an instrument of VA can be incorporated to the routine of Health Primary Services of Ceará.