INTRODUCTION: In the Amazon, biomass burning as a consequence of deforestation is intense. Nevertheless, the effects of air pollution from the burning forest on human health are rarely studied. OBJECTIVE: To describe the approach to select areas oriented by morbidity-mortality indicators to "assess the effect of exposure to biomass burning on human health at the border of deforestation in the Amazon region". METHODS: Ecological study of the indicators of hospital admissions and mortality by respiratory diseases in children under 5 years of age between 2000 and 2004. An analysis of the proportion of deaths, rate of admissions, and proportion of admissions by respiratory diseases in children under 5 years for computing scores was carried out, defining a ranking of municipalities. Geographical location, biome, structure of health services, population, availability of the previous data on environmental atmospheric pollutants and meteorological data were considered. RESULTS: Alta Floresta and Tangará da Serra, both in the State of Mato Grosso, were selected for the development of the study because of the worst classifications for morbidity and mortality. CONCLUSION: Health indicators showed consistency and oriented the integrated analysis of environment health.
Ecological study; Pollution of the air; Respiratory illnesses; Burn; Amazon
