[Association between sanitation services coverage and epidemiological indicators in Latin America: a study with secondary data].

OBJECTIVE

To study the association between water and sanitation coverage and epidemiological indicators in Latin America, using secondary data from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) for the period of 2005 to 2010.

METHODS

An ecological study was carried out including data from 21 Latin American countries, with a total estimated population of 596 million. The following variables were analyzed: infant mortality in children under 1 year in 2008, mortality in children under 5 years in 2008, and mortality from acute diarrheal diseases in children under 5 years in 2008. These indicators were analyzed by means of the "one-on-one" correlation with risk factors in five categories (demographic, socioeconomic, child health, public spending on health care, health care, and sanitation coverage).

RESULTS

The average values for the region were 18.2 deaths per 1 000 live births in children under 1 year of age, 23.5 deaths per 1 000 live births for children under 5 years, and 5.8% mortality for acute diarrheal diseases in children under 5 years. Higher water and sanitation coverage was linked with lower mortality in children under 1 and under 5 years of age. Higher mortality from acute diarrheal diseases in children under 5 years was associated with higher annual population growth.

CONCLUSIONS

The improvement of public health in Latin America depends on the expansion of access to public water and sanitation systems.