Spatial distribution and epidemiological profile of scorpion accidents in Natal/RN

Abstract

Introduction: Scorpion poisoning constitutes a public health problem due to the high number and severity of cases. Objective: To map the areas of occurrence of accidents caused by scorpions in Natal/RN. Methods: An epidemiologic study with an ecological descriptive approach was conducted. It uses data registered in the Information System for Notifiable Diseases, which were processing in Excel spreadsheet, and subsequently the areas were mapped with Arcview 3.2 software. Results: We identified 1,698 cases of scorpions poisoning throughout the year, and the spatial distribution revealed that the West region was the most affected. The incidence was higher in females, which accounted for a total of 1,103 accidents, corresponding to 65% (X2: 10.87, p = 0.02). The age group between 21 and 30 years was the most affected. Conclusion: The identification of critical areas for accidents caused by scorpions is vital for making decisions and implementing prevention and control measures.