Spatial analysis of hospitalizations for pneumonia in the Vale do Paraíba region of Brazil.

OBJECTIVE To identify spatial patterns in hospitalizations for pneumonia in infants under one year of age in the Vale do Paraíba region of Brazil. METHODS This was an ecological exploratory study using a georeferencing technique based on data from the Information Technology Department of the Brazilian Unified Health Care System on the number of hospitalizations for pneumonia among infants under one year of age in the Vale do Paraíba region between 2004 and 2005. Based on the distribution of the rates of hospitalizations for pneumonia per 1,000 live births, thematic maps were created. Moran's spatial autocorrelation coefficient was estimated, and the cities with the highest rates were identified using box maps. RESULTS During the study period, 2,227 infants under one year of age were hospitalized for pneumonia. Moran's coefficient was 0.37 (p = 0.02), demonstrating a spatial autocorrelation for these hospitalizations. Eight cities deserving special attention for future interventions were identified. CONCLUSIONS The spatial analysis was successful in determining the spatial autocorrelation, as well as in identifying the cities in which an intervention is necessary regarding the number of hospitalizations for pneumonia in infants under one year of age.