Economic cost of air pollution in Cubatão - SP based on health expenses related to diseases of the respiratory and circulatory systems

Abstract

The aim of this research was to evaluate economic costs of respiratory and circulatory diseases in the municipality of Cubatão, in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. Data on hospital admissions and on missed working days due to hospitalization (for age group 14 to 70 years old) from the database of Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS - Brazilian National Health System) were used. Results: Based on these data, it was calculated that R$ 22.1 million were spent in the period 2000 to 2009 due to diseases of the respiratory and circulatory systems. Part of these expenses can be directly related to the emission of atmospheric pollutants in the city. In order to estimate the costs related to air pollution, data on Cubatão were compared to data from two other municipalities that are also located at the coast side (Guarujá and Peruíbe), but which have little industrial activity in comparison to Cubatão. It was verified that, in both, average per capita costs were lower when compared to Cubatão, but that this difference has been decreasing in recent years.