Social determinants of health and COVID-19 infection in Brazil: an analysis of the pandemic

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the influence of socioeconomic, demographic, epidemiological factors, and the health system structure in the evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil. METHODS: Ecological study with variables extracted from databases, having the incidence and mortality by COVID-19 until August 23, 2020, in Brazilian states, as response variables. The magnitude of the associations was estimated using Spearman's correlation coefficient and multiple regression analysis. RESULTS: In the Brazilian states, 59.8% of variation in the incidence of COVID-19 was justified by income inequality, significant home densification, and higher mortality. In the case of mortality, those same variables explained 57.9% of the country's variations in federal units. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that socioeconomic factors influenced the evolution and impact of COVID-19 in Brazil. Thus, we suggest comprehensive actions to ensure economic conditions and strengthening of health networks for populations with socioeconomic vulnerability.