Perfil epidemiológico dos municípios da Baixada Santista e sua relação com a contaminação ambiental.

Abstract

Background: The contamination of water resources and sediments by metals and their bioaccumulation in animals is a serious environmental problem and is mainly related to inadequate disposal of industrial effluents. Acute or chronic human exposure to metals, through the ingestion of contaminated water or through ingestion of fish with a high concentration of these elements is a public health problem mainly due to the large number of diseases caused by these contaminants. Objective: To evaluate the relationship between CETESB's annual reports on contaminants in water resources in the Metropolitan Region of Baixada Santista and the epidemiological profile of hospital admissions, both in the period of 2015-2019. Methods: Ecological Analytical Study using data from 329,486 hospitalizations from the Unified Health System – SUS – and the main disease groups presented. The main variables of interest used were the patient's admission date, city of residence and main ICD. Results: the main rates per 10,000 inhabitants, calculated for the disease groups, were, in descending order: diseases of the digestive system (199.5), diseases of the circulatory system (183.3), diseases of the respiratory system (153.3), diseases of the genital and urinary system (111.0) and blood disorders and immunological disorders (100.4). According to CETESB's annual reports, aluminum, arsenic, barium, iron, mercury, magnesium, manganese, nickel and zinc were found in the Metropolitan Region of Baixada Santista above the values allowed by the legislation. According to the spatial analysis performed, there is a dependence between the pattern of diseases and metals, associated with their characteristics and location. Conclusions: the main groups of diseases found in the region's population may be related to metals found in this region's water resources, and this exposure can occur through the ingestion of contaminated water or food consumption.