02366nas a2200193   4500000000100000008004100001653002700042653002300069653002700092653001200119653002600131653001100157100002100168700002500189700001500214245011500229050002300344520180500367       2014                            d10aSpatial scan statistic10aSpatial regression10aSocio-economic factors10aleprosy10aEnvironmental factors10aBrazil1 aCabral-Miranda W1 aChiaravalloti Neto F1 aBarrozo LV00aSocio-economic and environmental effects influencing the development of leprosy in Bahia, north-eastern Brazil  aCABRALMIRANDA 20143 aObjectives
To investigate spatial clusters and possible associations between relative risks of leprosy with socio-economic and environmental factors, taking into account diagnosed cases in children under 15 years old.
Methods
An ecological study was conceived using data aggregated by municipality to identify possible spatial clusters of leprosy from 2005 to 2011. Relative risks were calculated accounting for the respective covariate gender. The second stage of the analysis consisted of verifying possible associations between the relative risks of leprosy as a dependent variable, and socio-economic and environmental variables as independent. This was performed using a multivariate regression analysis according to a previously defined conceptual framework.
Results
Overall rates have decreased from 0.88/10 000 in 2005 to 0.52 in 2011. Spatial scan statistics identified 4 high-risk and 6 low-risk clusters. In the regression model, after allowing for spatial dependence, relative risks were associated with higher percentage of water bodies, higher Gini index, higher percentage of urban population, larger average number of dwellers by permanent residence and smaller percentage of residents born in Bahia.
Conclusions
Although relative risks of leprosy in Bahia have been decreasing, they remain very high. The association between relative risks of leprosy and water bodies in the proposed geographic scale indicates that hypothesis linking M. leprae and humid environments cannot be discarded. Socio-economic conditions such as inequality, a greater number of dwellers by residence and migration are derived from the urbanisation process carried out in this State. Precarious settlements and poor living conditions in the cities would favour the continuity of leprosy transmission.