Variables associated with Covid-19 mortality in Brazilian municipalities: an exploratory study

Abstract

The aim of this work is to identify variables significantly correlated with Covid-19 mortality in the 5,570 Brazilian municipalities. Results of cross section regressions indicate positive and significant correlations between deaths per million inhabitants and the following variables: i) total population; ii) per capita GDP; iii) inclusion in metropolitan region; iv) share of the population aged 60 years or over; share of the population living in urban areas; vi) Jair Bolsonaro’s vote share in the 2018 presidential elections. Results are robust in several different models, consistent with a series of previous works on the subject and extended to a longer period of time (more than one year of Covid-19 pandemic in Brazil).