Conditional cash transfer and mortality among interpersonal violence victims: A cohort study

Background Interpersonal violence is a significant public health issue, increasing mortality risks for those affected. While Cash Transfer Programs offer health benefits, their role in addressing the needs of interpersonal violence victims remains unclear. This study aims to examine the association between Brazil’s Bolsa Família Program (BFP) participation and reduced mortality rates among interpersonal violence victims. Methods and findings This cohort study was conducted using data from 100 Million Brazilian Cohort, which were linked with interpersonal violence registries (2011−2015). All individuals with a record of interpersonal violence following their registration in Brazil’s primary social assistance system during the study period were included. The primary outcome was overall mortality, while secondary outcomes comprised deaths due to natural and unnatural causes, as recorded in the Mortality Information System (SIM) and classified according to the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision (ICD-10). We used Cox proportional hazards models with propensity score-based method to analyze overall mortality and competing risk models to assess specific causes of death, estimating the association between BFP participation and mortality rates. A total of 29,075 individuals who were victims of interpersonal violence were followed throughout the five-year period. A total of 990 individuals died from overall causes. BFP participation was associated with an 18% reduction in overall mortality rate (hazard ratio, HR 0.82, 95% CI 0.70,0.95; p = 0.011) and a 66% reduction in mortality rate from natural causes (HR 0.34 95% CI 0.28, 0.41; p < 0.001). This sample includes only individuals who seek healthcare services, which may overrepresent more severe cases of interpersonal violence. Conclusions The association between BFP participation and lower mortality rates, especially from natural causes, among interpersonal violence victims highlights that such programs may be associated with reductions in poverty, improvements in health outcomes, and increased survival in vulnerable populations.