Hepatitis B and C in the areas of three Regional Health Centers of Pará State, Brazil: a spatial, epidemiological and socioeconomic analysis

Abstract Background Viral hepatitis is a serious public health problem and is related to the different socioeconomic characteristics of the Brazilian territory. Objective To analyze the spatial distribution of the hepatitis B and C and their relationship with the Municipal Human Development Index (IDHM), in the areas of three Regional Health Centers (CRS), in the state of Pará, Brazil, from 2010 to 2014. Method In this descriptive and cross-sectional study, data from the Information System for Notifiable Diseases of the Ministry of Health and the 2010 Census of the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics were used. Results The analyses showed that the 11th CRS reported the greater number of cases (60.9%). The most affected individuals by both diseases were female, brown skin color, adults and elementary school degree. The most significant risk factors were injecting drugs use, dental and surgical treatments. It was observed spatial dependence between the IDHM and the diseases incidence rate parameters, with direct and indirect autocorrelations. Thus, areas with medium and low IDHM showed high incidence rates, especially in municipalities with intense migratory flows, in the last decades. Conclusion The analyses were effective for construct epidemiological scenarios of the diseases. The need to expand the control of hepatitis in the studied areas is highlighted.