Monthly average values of insolation, atmospheric pressure, wind speed, air temperature, relative humidity and pluviometric precipitation in Maceió from 1998 to 2006 were used to identify their influence in hospitalizations due to asthma, leptospirosis, cardiac insufficiency, schistosomiasis and chronic bronchitis. Coefficients of monthly admissions in public hospitals of Maceió were determined and then correlated to the variables of interest. The Pearson (r) and determination (r2) coefficients of the meteorological variables were calculated to identify the extent of their influence over hospital admissions. The results suggest the confirmation of the author's hypothesis about the influence of weather conditions on hospitalizations due to asthma (r²) from 0% to 9%, bronchitis (r²) from 29% to 55%, schistosomiasis (15% to 45%), cardiac insufficiency (0% to 11%) and leptospirosis (14% to 79%).
meteorological variables; statistical correlation; diseases
