Cancer mortality in a micro-region of Paraíba between 1989-2018

Abstract

Introduction: cancer is seen as a public health problem, being the second leading cause of death from chronic non-communicable diseases. Objective: to investigate the distribution of cancer mortality rates in Curimataú Western Paraiba between 1989-2018. Methodology: study of document analysis, using the Online Atlas of Mortality and investigating the cancers with the highest mortality rates investigated in 11 municipalities of Western Curimataú during 30 years, according to gender and age, configuring an analysis of the adjusted rates of mortality and multiple comparisons between mean numbers of deaths. Results: Ten types of cancer with the highest frequency of deaths in the region were listed, during the period from 1989 to 2018, corresponding to 56.05% of the causes of death, with emphasis on stomach cancer (19.63%). For men, there was a percentage of mortality from stomach cancer of 31.03% (1989-1998) and prostate with 31.58% (1999-2008), with a higher number of deaths during 2009-2018 (p= 0.02), compared to females; for women, there was a higher mortality from stomach cancer of 31.58% (1989-1998) and breast cancer 20.32% (2009-2018). There was an increase in mortality with advancing age and over the years, both for men and women (p<0.05). Conclusion: There was a linear increase in cancer mortality in Western Curimataú, for 30 years, with emphasis on stomach, prostate and breast cancers, with high mortality observed in the elderly.

Key words: Neoplasms; Mortality; Epidemiology.