[The epidemiological transition in Latin America]

The changes in health conditions that have occurred in most of the countries of Latin America in the second half of the twentieth century are analyzed. "This paper analyzes the main mechanisms involved in the epidemiologic transition, which are: changes in risk factors, fertility decline and improvements in health care technology." The authors use a mortality profile ratio, obtained by dividing the mortality rate due to infectious and parasitic diseases over the mortality rate due to cardiovascular diseases and neoplasms, to analyze trends in 15 countries. "Three distinct groups can be recognized. Each of them represents a different transitional experience. Such experiences are discussed in detail, including a new 'protracted polarized model' of the epidemiologic transition, which characterizes several Latin American countries. Finally, evidence is provided to illustrate the relationship among economic development, fertility change, and mortality profiles." (SUMMARY IN ENG)