Health Conditions in the Americas, 1994 Edition, v.2

Abstract

[Preface]. The 1994 edition of Health Conditions in the Americas is the eleventh in a series of quadrennial reports published since 1954 to document the changes and advances in health achieved by the Member and Participating Governments of the Pan American Health Organization. This document informs the XXIV Pan American Sanitary Conference about the health status of the peoples in the Region, as perceived by the Organization's Secretariat. It does not include a review of the technical cooperation activities between PAHO and the Governments, which are described for the Conference in the Quadrennial Report o f the Director 1990-1993, Annual Report 1993. The epidemiologic situation in the Region has undergone major changes in recent decades as a result of a complex set of processes that have altered the age structure of the population, the rate and extent of urbanization, the labor market, educational levels, the ecological situation, and the organization of health services. More than any other factor, however, the situation is influenced by the existence of deep social inequities and the growth of the population living in poverty. The 1994 edition describes the changes that have occurred, emphasizing the period 1989-1992, to the extent allowed by the available information. It consists of two volumes. The first presents a profile of the health situation in the Region as a whole, in six chapters plus an annex of health and development indicators. The first two chapters depict the health situation and living conditions, as well as demographic characteristics, and provide an overview of mortality. The third and fourth chapters describe the health situation from two perspectives: by analyzing the health of different population groups and by reporting the status of specific diseases and health impairments. The fifth discusses the health impacts of environmental problems, including lack of basic sanitation, atmospheric pollution, chemical pollution, and disasters. The sixth chapter is an account of the responses societies have made to health problems; it incorporates information on the economic, political, and social settings in which they have taken place, current levels and trends in health expenditures and investments, the training of human resources and the health labor market, and changes that have come about in the organization and operation of health services. The annex is a compilation of the latest available figures on 54 health, economic, and social indicators for each of the countries. The second volume is made up of country reports that summarize the salient processes and problems in each country. The structure of the reports is similar to that of the first volume, but more specific detail is given. This edition is based on information from many official and semiofficial sources. Despite efforts to do so, it has not been possible to eliminate every discrepancy among them. Like earlier editions, this one responds to the needs and interests of a wide range of users. For governments, it will be a source of reliable data on leading health trends in the Region and countries. For national and international agencies, as well as students, researchers, and workers in the health field, it will be a useful reference for consultation. We are convinced of the relevance of this information, and we trust it will assist in decision-making and stimulate continued improvement of the generation, processing, and analysis of increasingly relevant and timely data for the framing of health policies, the reorganization of services, the prevention and control of diseases, and attention to priority problems.