ChArtiCle
Latin america’s BiLL of HeaLtH
degenerative diseases infectious and
advaNCes
infectious diseases have decreased
dramatically in the last 50 years—with the
biggest advances made in the 1970s, in
particular against cholera, malaria, severe
diarrhea, and tuberculosis.
ChalleNges
As the incidence of infectious diseases has decreased, other types of diseases have
increased in importance. Degenerative diseases have increased in prominence—raising
different and more long-term concerns for health care.
Why?
Advances
in vaccinations
Access to antibiotics
better sanitation
and access to potable
water
maiN Causes of dea Th by CouNTry by epidemiologiCal
CharaCTerisTiCs
Communicable
diseases
BaHamas
BoLivia
GuatemaLa
Haiti
Peru
Cardiovascular
diseases
BarBados
dominican
rePuBLic
nicaraGua
ParaGuay
trinidad
and toBaGo
Neoplasias
arGentina
cHiLe
cuBa
coLomBia
costa rica
Panama
uruGuay
venezueLa
external Causes
BeLize
coLomBia
ecuador
eL saLvador
venezueLa
Example, from
1990 to >>>> 2006
the Americas halved
tuberculosis from
96 to >>>> 44
cases per
100,000
inhabitants.
zooNoses
in the last decade, the region has seen an increase
of zoonoses (diseases that can be transmitted
from animals to humans) representing three-fourths of the emerging pathogens.
Recent examples: chikungunya in Martinique; West nile Virus in belize; Rocky Mountain
spotted fever in colombia; and E. coli in the U.s. and Mexico. And in 2009 there was h1n1 in
Mexico, the U.s., Argentina, and chile to site a few examples.
however, advances in reducing infectious diseases have been unevenly distributed across
populations within countries. inequities in education, employment and access to sanitary
conditions—including safe drinking water—affect the likelihood that a person will be in an
environment that produces diseases.
source: Who Mortality Database, < www.who.int/healthinfo/morttables/en/index.html> (Accessed: June 29, 2010).
by loCa TioN
in rural areas and in crowded, informal urban settlements, the situation is particularly stark.
the proportion of the population lacking
potable water is 10 times greater in
rural areas (20%) than urban areas (2%).
icons by natasha tibbott
the proportion of the population lacking
sanitation in rural areas (32%) was four
times greater than in urban areas (8%).
source: PAho, “health situation in the Americas: basic indicators 2009.” < new.paho.org/hq/index.
php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1878&itemid=1723> (Accessed: June 29, 2010).
