Influência do saneamento básico na saúde pública: estudo de caso no bairro São Sebastião, Teresina, Piauí

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the influence of basic sanitation on public health in the São Sebastião neighborhood, in Teresina-PI, from 2011 to 2023. The indicators of water supply, sewage disposal, solid waste collection, and urban drainage were evaluated, comparing them with the hospitalization rate for diseases related to sanitation. The results indicate that, despite improvements in water supply, waste collection, and drainage in the São Sebastião neighborhood, the hospitalization rate continued to rise, highlighting waste collection and sewage treatment as the main factors for the deterioration of public health. The hospitalization rate continued to rise during the analyzed period, suggesting that the lack of a sewage system and poor drainage conditions were determining factors in the persistence of health problems. The lack of separation between the sewage and drainage systems resulted in water contamination and the proliferation of diseases, exacerbating health risks. Given this scenario, it is recommended to increase investments in sewage and urban drainage systems, implement preventive health measures, continuously monitor water quality, and strengthen awareness campaigns on proper waste disposal. The comparison of the behavior between the São Sebastião neighborhood and the city of Teresina highlights significant differences in public health due to the state of basic sanitation indicators. While Teresina maintained reasonable levels of basic sanitation infrastructure, which positively impacted public health by reducing hospitalization rates, the São Sebastião neighborhood, despite some improvements in basic sanitation indicators during the analyzed period, recorded a progressive increase in hospitalization rates, with rates higher than those recorded for Teresina, negatively affecting the region's health. The São Sebastião neighborhood showed improvements in infrastructure, but deficiencies in the sewage system affect public health, unlike in Teresina, where there is a more consolidated structure and more controlled hospitalization rates.