Socioeconomic Correlations with Basic Sanitation Infrastructure

A Comparative Study of Three Brazilian Capital

Abstract

This study aims to analyze correlations between socioeconomic indicators and sanitation data in three Brazilian capitals (Curitiba, Porto Alegre, Florianópolis), identifying patterns and relationships that may influence the formulation of public policies aimed at improving urban infrastructure, particularly sanitation. A quantitative approach was used to calculate correlations between variables obtained via OSMnx, IBGE, and Instituto Trata Brasil. The analysis focused on strong correlations (above 0.7) and very strong correlations (above 0.9) between the percentage of treated sewage and variables such as urban area, Gini index, HDI, income, and deaths due to waterborne diseases. The academic relevance lies in the focus on a few cities for a pilot study that can be expanded to Brazil’s 100 largest municipalities. The theoretical gap explored is the integration of geospatial data with socioeconomic indicators to generate insights on the impact of inequality and urban infrastructure on public health. The variables most strongly correlated with the treated sewage network were the Gini index, HDI, and urban area, indicating a clear relationship between socioeconomic inequality and access to sanitation infrastructure. This study contributes to the application of geoprocessing techniques in urban studies, reinforcing the importance of spatial analysis in understanding disparities in access to essential services. The findings underscore the need for public policies that prioritize investments in sanitation in more vulnerable areas, contributing to reducing inequalities and improving public health.