RESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: To describe the health situation in municipalities in the state of Santa Catarina, Brazil, in 1996, and to investigate how that correlated with federal health spending in 1997. METHODS: Multiple regression analysis was used to investigate the association between federal health care funding and proportional mortality, supply of health services (hospitals and outpatient clinics), and the municipality's population (number of inhabitants). Also investigated was the association between mortality from broad groups of causes and socioeconomic structure, supply of health services, and the municipality's population. RESULTS: The multiple regression analysis showed an association between proportional mortality due to: 1) infectious diseases and: infant mortality, number of non-doctor medical professionals per 10,000 inhabitants, and number of physicians per 10,000 inhabitants (negative association); 2) chronic degenerative diseases and: percentage of individuals 60 years and older, infant mortality (negative association), and number of non-doctor medical professionals per 10,000 inhabitants (negative association); and 3) external causes of death and: the municipality's population, number of hospitals per 10,000 inhabitants (negative association), and percentage of children younger than 1 year. Health spending per inhabitant in 1997 was mainly associated with the municipality's population, number of outpatient clinics per 10,000 inhabitants, Swaroop and Uemura mortality rate, and deaths due to chronic degenerative diseases in 1996. CONCLUSIONS: Municipalities with a better morbidity and mortality profile and a better health services structure received more federal health care resources. To improve this situation, special strategies should be considered in order to ensure additional resources for municipalities that have poorer health indicators.