Objectives

Measure health inequalities through 12 mortality indicators, using the human resource density of medical professionals (pmed) and nursing (penf), as a stratifier of equity in 32 american countries.

Methods

From 12 mortality indicators, stratified by density of pmed and penf, weighted rates, differences, correlation, simple and complex inequality indicators are calculated.

Results

Of 12 indicators, 9 show a higher rate in low density of both professions; 7 show significant differences. there is high variability in relative gaps (8.7 to 1.2); unequal concentration affecting vulnerable groups; and higher index of the slope in mortality: maternal, communicable diseases and diabetes.

Conclusions

The density of human resources shows high variability and concentration, with a heterogeneous ratio between both professions. When stratifying countries from Low to High density, inequalities and social gradient are evident in 9 of 12 indicators.