Problems of medical and sanitary attention in the State of S. Paulo, Brazil

Abstract

The authors analyse the main medical and sanitary problems in the Brazilian State of S. Paulo and the possibility of defining, within the State, five zones, whose characteristics are outstandingly homogeneous: a first zone, including the regions of S. José do Rio Preto, Araçatuba and Presidente Prudente; a second zone, including Bauru and Marilia; a third zone, including the regions of Sorocaba, the coastal areas and the Paraíba Valley; a fourth zone including Campinas and Ribeirão Preto and a fifth zone, represented by Greater S. Paulo. For each zone, the authors outline the basic health indices and some aspects of the available health facilities, concluding that it is difficult to establish a correlation between those two parameters. They also analyse the basic problems concerning the medical care of the S. Paulo State urban and rural populations.