Study of the relationship between socio-demographic characteristics and new influenza A (H1N1)

The pandemic of new influenza A (H1N1) has spread rapidly throughout the world, characterized by high transmissibility, but low pathogenicity and virulence. The aim of this study was to understand the pandemic event and available technologies for disease surveillance, prevention, control and management.

In this retrospective study, we used data from patients in the State of Paraná who had been diagnosed with the disease during the 2009 pandemic. Data were collected from the disease notification form and the study only included patients with confirmed laboratory diagnosis by RT-PCR.

We present the epidemiological profile of 4,740 patients that met the inclusion criteria. The variables age, level of schooling and gestational age were shown to be associated with mortality due to the infection. Gender and race/ethnicity were not associated with the outcome of the infection.

These results underscore the importance of knowing the variables associated with unfavorable outcomes of pandemic influenza infection in order to minimize the health related consequences. Attention should be given to its forms of transmission and to the frailty of certain age groups that have no cross-immunity.