Distribution of COVID-19 Related Deaths in Municipalities from Sonora, Mexico, 2020

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged societies, not only because of its magnitude and impact, but also because it has deepened health inequalities and inequities. Socially disadvantaged groups show a higher frequency of adverse health events due to COVID-19, particularly in Latin America. With that in mind, we describe the distribution of deaths in COVID-19 patients stratified by sociodemographic characteristics and medical comorbidities, and explore perceptions related to disease-care, in selected rural and urban localities from Sonora, Mexico. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study on 160 deaths attributed to COVID-19, from the period April 1st and July 31st 2020, using death certificates as a data source. Furthermore, to explore the variables of interest, a verbal autopsy was applied to a relative caregiver for the patient’s health. Data collected was analyzed by descriptive statistics and qualitative technique. Results: We did not find significant differences in sociodemographic conditions among the COVID-19 deaths. Interestingly, 85.6% of the deceased had a chronic medical condition and 74.4% of all deaths took place in an urban locality. Caregivers frequently consigned deficiencies from medical services over the disease-care process of COVID-19 deaths.