[Postneonatal infant mortality and quality of medical care: a case-control study]

OBJECTIVE: To identify the risk factors for postneonatal infant mortality caused by diarrhea and pneumonia in relation to the quality of medical assistance. METHODS: Population-based case-control study of 277 postneonatal infant deaths caused by diarrhea and pneumonia occurring in the metropolitan area of Belo Horizonte, Brazil, between May/1991 and April/1992. The cases were compared with hospitalized controls, and matched by pathology, age and hospital. Information on cases and controls were collected from medical records and through home interviews. Some variables related to the quality of medical care were analyzed. McNemar test and conditional logistic regression were used to define the risk factors for postneonatal deaths. RESULTS: Multiple logistic regression analysis showed the following factors independently associated with increased risk of postneonatal death induced by diarrhea and pneumonia: delayed immunization (OR = 2.48; 95%CI=1.17-5.23), general status (serious) on hospital admission (OR=10.94; 95%CI=4.91-24.34), unaccomplished hospital procedures (OR=10.08; 95%CI = 3.55-20.59) and malnutrition on hospital admission (OR=3.58; 95%CI=1.42-9.07). CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate the low quality of medical assistance as an important risk factor for avoidable causes of postneonatal deaths. The authors highlight the lack of integration between the outpatient clinic and hospital activities as an important determinant of low quality. It is necessary that the performance of health services and their effect on avoidable infant mortality be widely discussed, also taking into consideration the preponderant role of socioeconomic variables