Underreporting in dietary assessment has been linked to dietary restraint (DR) and social desirability (SD). Thus, this study investigated accuracy of reporting energy intake (EI) of a laboratory meal during a 24-hour dietary recall (24HR) in 38 healthy, college-aged (20.3 +/- 1.7 years), normal-weight women (22.4 +/- 1.8 kg/m2), categorized as high or low in DR and SD. Participants consumed a meal (sandwich wrap, chips, fruit, and ice cream) and completed a telephone 24HR. Accuracy of reported intake = (((reported intake - measured intake)/measured intake) x 100) [positive numbers = overreporting]. Overreporting of EI was found in all groups (meal accuracy rate = 43.1 +/- 49.9%). An interaction of SD x individual foods (p < 0.05) occurred. SD-High as compared to SD-Low more accurately reported EI of chips (19.8 +/- 56.2% vs. 117.1 +/- 141.3%, p < 0.05) and ice cream (17.2 +/- 78.2% vs. 71.6 +/- 82.7%, p < 0.05). An effect of SD occurred, where SD-High as compared to SD-Low more accurately reported meal EI (29.8 +/- 48.2% vs. 58.0 +/- 48.8%, p < 0.05). For measured meal EI, an effect of DR occurred where DR-High consumed less than DR-Low (437 +/- 169 kcals vs. 559 +/- 207 kcals, p < 0.05). An interaction of DR x food type (p < 0.05) occurred where DR-High as compared to DR-Low consumed less sandwich wrap (156 +/- 63 kcals vs. 210 +/- 76 kcals, p < 0.05) and ice cream (126 +/-73 kcals vs. 190 +/- 106 kcals, p < 0.05). For reported meal EI, an effect of DR occurred where DR-High reported consuming less than DR-Low (561 +/- 200 kcals vs. 818 +/- 362 kcals, p < 0.05). An interaction of DR x individual foods (p < 0.05) occurred where DR-High reported consuming less ice cream than DR-Low (145 +/- 91 kcals vs. 302 +/- 235 kcals, p < 0.05). Overreporting EI from a laboratory meal was prevalent. However, those high in SD were more accurate in reporting intake, particularly of high-fat foods. Future research is needed to investigate factors that contribute to overreporting.

BEYOND THE NUMBERS: CONFIDENTIAL ENQUIRIES INTO MATERNAL DEATHS IN ACCRA-GHANA Researcher: Afisah Yakubu Zakariah Universite Libre de Bruxelles- School of Public Health Reproductive Health and Epidemiology of Perinatal Health Unit Brussels-Belgium Afiyakzak@yahoo.com Promoter: Professor Sophie Alexander-Karlin Universite Libre de Bruxelles- School of Public Health Reproductive Health and Epidemiology of Perinatal Health Unit Brussels-Belgium salexand@ulb.ac.be Co-Promoter: Professor Jos van Roosmalen Leiden University Medical Centre Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Leiden-The Netherlands J.J.M.van_Roosmalen@lumc.nl "A thesis submitted for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Public Health Sciences Universite Libre de Bruxelles-School of Public Health Reproductive Health and Epidemiology of Perinatal Health Unit. November, 2008. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Background Maternal mortality remains a severe problem in many parts of the world, despite efforts to reach MDG 5. Assessing progress towards this goal is difficult because maternal mortality is difficult to measure and the information available at country level does not generally permit the establishment of good baseline data. Countries with high maternal mortality ratios neither have adequate vital registration systems nor adequate resources to carry out surveys. Only few low-income countries have been able to establish a comprehensive reporting system and even where such vital registration systems are in place, maternal deaths are often underreported or misclassified as non-maternal even in large well developed cities. Ghana belongs to the group of low-income countries with high maternal mortality ratios (point estimate 560, lower bound 200 and upper bound 1300) per 100,000 live births and inadequate data on maternal deaths. Previous studies have demonstrated that most of these deaths could be prevented with existing effective practices. In this dissertation, we looked at the registration system of births and deaths in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. We assessed completeness of registration of maternal deaths and data quality. We also looked at the degree of underreporting of maternal deaths, assessed causes of maternal deaths and substandard care of these cases through a confidential enquiry. This enabled us to identify problems associated with measuring of maternal mortality in Ghana and the standard of care of the cases. Through our findings we were able to make recommendations to achieve MDG 5 in the country by 2015 if implemented. Other maternal and child health (MCH) interventions were also looked as working to improve MCH is a continuum, and no aspect should be neglected. The first relates to seeking evidence based practice in presence of potentially complicated obstetrical conditions like premature rupture of membranes and the second pertains to preventive activities in MCH and concentrates on the results of tetanus immunisation of women in their reproductive age in the Northern Region of Ghana. Objectives 1. To assess the precision (quality) of civil registration of maternal deaths in Ghana 2. To identify the magnitude of maternal deaths using multiple sources and assess the degree of underreporting of these deaths 3. To identify the root causes and related factors of the identified maternal deaths as well as classify the deaths 4. To assess the level of substandard care in maternal deaths in order to identify weakness in the Ghanaian maternity care system and propose locally relevant and affordable solutions to improve maternity care in Ghana 5. To discuss the results of the research with the Decision makers and health care providers leading to an adoption of the method at national level and a reduction of maternal mortality in Ghana as a whole 6. To assess risk factors and management of premature rupture of membranes and make recommendations that will address avoidable complications 7. To assess challenges of other maternal and child health interventions like Tetanus Toxoid immunization in women of reproductive age group and formulate recommendations to increase the coverage in this group. Organization of dissertation This dissertation contains eight chapters. Chapter one is on general introduction, which gives an overview of the problems associated with the reduction of maternal mortality by literature review. Chapter two highlights the profile of Ghana and the Health system Chapter three is on maternal mortality in the Greater Accra region of Ghana for the year 2000. In this chapter, we assessed completeness of registration and data quality as well as the sensitivity and specificity of the civil registration system to capture maternal deaths in Ghana. Chapter four discusses Reproductive Age Mortality Survey (RAMOS) conducted in Accra city (Metropolis) for the year 2002. It showed how effective the method is in identifying maternal deaths using multiple sources approach. In this study, we aimed at identifying the magnitude of maternal deaths in the city and the degree of underreporting during the study period. Chapter five elaborates the main content of this thesis, which is on confidential enquiries into maternal deaths for the year 2002. This chapter deals solely with the seventy three cases of maternal deaths that were identified during the study period (1st January 2002-31st December 2002) with adequate information surrounding the deaths. We identified the root causes and related factors of the identified maternal deaths as well as their classification. We also assessed the level of substandard care in maternal deaths, identified weaknesses in the Ghanaian maternity care system and proposed locally relevant and affordable solutions to improve maternity care in Ghana. Chapter six is on controversy of management of premature rupture of membranes at term. We reviewed systematically the existing evidence on expectant management of PROM and prompt delivery after a premature rupture of membranes at term and gave an answer to this controversy. Chapter seven assessed challenges of other maternal and child health interventions like Tetanus Toxoid immunization in women of reproductive age group and formulated recommendations to increase the coverage in this group. Chapter eight gives the general discussion, conclusion and recommendations. Main results and conclusion The study on the assessment of completeness of registration and data quality of maternal deaths in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana found the process of registration of maternal deaths in the Region to be incomplete even though there is a system of registration of deaths in Ghana. We identified the major causes of under registration of maternal deaths during the study as omission of pregnancy status in the registers. Pregnancy status is not systematically noted in the registers and the death certificate forms. Other contributing factors to the under registration of maternal deaths were erroneous classification of maternal deaths as non-maternal and imprecision in the death certification and registration. The study on Reproductive Age Mortality Survey (RAMOS) in Accra city (Metropolis) for the year 2002 has almost doubled the officially reported figures, which showed that the method is effective in identifying maternal deaths using multiple sources approach. The findings of the confidential enquiries into maternal deaths for the year 2002 showed that the proportion of maternal deaths associated with substandard care factors at various levels is high in the Metropolis even though the city has the best medical services in the country. The study on the controversy of management of premature rupture of membranes at term shows that prompt delivery after the membranes are ruptured averts many complications both for the mother and the baby. It is presented as an illustration of how evidence based guidelines can be instrumental in challenging the maternal mortality problem In the study on challenges of maternal and child health interventions like Tetanus Toxoid immunization in women of reproductive age, we found out that the tetanus toxoid vaccine was perceived as an anti fertility drug by those who refused to be vaccinated. Among other reasons for refusal was complete authority over wives by their husbands and therefore not allowing them to be vaccinated. It also is an illustration of the role of good organisation of care in meeting MDGs 4 and 5. We finally conclude that, even in environments with limited resources, most maternal deaths can be prevented if appropriate measures are put in place to prevent their occurrence. Key words: Maternal mortality, registration, underreporting, RAMOS, confidential enquiries, sub-standard care, PROM.

Underreporting in dietary assessment has been linked to dietary restraint (DR) and social desirability (SD). Thus, this study investigated accuracy of reporting energy intake (EI) of a laboratory meal during a 24-hour dietary recall (24HR) in 38 healthy, college-aged (20.3 +/- 1.7 years), normal-weight women (22.4 +/- 1.8 kg/m2), categorized as high or low in DR and SD. Participants consumed a meal (sandwich wrap, chips, fruit, and ice cream) and completed a telephone 24HR. Accuracy of reported intake = (((reported intake - measured intake)/measured intake) x 100) [positive numbers = overreporting]. Overreporting of EI was found in all groups (meal accuracy rate = 43.1 +/- 49.9%). An interaction of SD x individual foods (p < 0.05) occurred. SD-High as compared to SD-Low more accurately reported EI of chips (19.8 +/- 56.2% vs. 117.1 +/- 141.3%, p < 0.05) and ice cream (17.2 +/- 78.2% vs. 71.6 +/- 82.7%, p < 0.05). An effect of SD occurred, where SD-High as compared to SD-Low more accurately reported meal EI (29.8 +/- 48.2% vs. 58.0 +/- 48.8%, p < 0.05). For measured meal EI, an effect of DR occurred where DR-High consumed less than DR-Low (437 +/- 169 kcals vs. 559 +/- 207 kcals, p < 0.05). An interaction of DR x food type (p < 0.05) occurred where DR-High as compared to DR-Low consumed less sandwich wrap (156 +/- 63 kcals vs. 210 +/- 76 kcals, p < 0.05) and ice cream (126 +/-73 kcals vs. 190 +/- 106 kcals, p < 0.05). For reported meal EI, an effect of DR occurred where DR-High reported consuming less than DR-Low (561 +/- 200 kcals vs. 818 +/- 362 kcals, p < 0.05). An interaction of DR x individual foods (p < 0.05) occurred where DR-High reported consuming less ice cream than DR-Low (145 +/- 91 kcals vs. 302 +/- 235 kcals, p < 0.05). Overreporting EI from a laboratory meal was prevalent. However, those high in SD were more accurate in reporting intake, particularly of high-fat foods. Future research is needed to investigate factors that contribute to overreporting.

Com a finalidade de conhecer a história da epidemia de AIDS no Município de São Paulo, analisou-se a mortalidade pela síndrome, de 1983 a 1986. Utilizando a metodologia de revisão dos atestados de óbito, foi possível conhecer algumas características desses indivíduos e detectar casos de AIDS não notificados ao sistema de vigilância epidemiológica. Foram revistos os atestados de óbito de indivíduos do sexo masculino, de 20 a 49 anos, que faleceram no Município de São Paulo, de 1983 a 1986. Os atestados foram selecionados pela causa básica, onde esta era AIDS, imunodeficiência, doenças indicativas de AIDS ou infecções oportunistas e outras patologias que poderiam estar mascarando casos de AIDS. Entre 4023 atestados selecionados, 359 se referiam a AIDS e, destes, 305 (85 por cento ) eram óbitos de casos notificados e 54 (15 por cento ) óbitos de casos não notificados. No grupo não notificado, a AIDS, ou apenas imunodeficiência, era causa básica em 26 declarações de óbito e em outras 10 ela era mencionada, ainda que não como causa básica. Os 54 casos identificados pelo estudo representam um aumento de 7 por cento no número de casos de AIDS do Município de São Paulo e de 7,3 por cento no número de óbitos pela doença, neste mesmo local, sendo que a letal idade da AIDS passa de 77,8 por cento para 79,3 por cento no período considerado. Os casos detectados de AIDS eram em sua maioria indivíduos solteiros (81,9 por cento ), jovens (58 por cento tinham de 20 a 34 anos) e que faleceram em hospitais (95,3 por cento dos óbitos). As profissões mais referidas foram de bancário e economiário (6,7 por cento dos atestados), auxiliar de escritório (6,4 por cento ), seguidas de cabeleireiro (5,3 por cento ) e de comerciante (3,9 por cento ). Entre os casos não notificados havia maior freqüência de indivíduos com nível superior de educação em relação aos que não tinham sido notificados. / To assess the history of AIDS epidemics in the City of São Paulo, we analysed the mortality of this syndrome, from 1983 to 1986. Underreported AIDS cases were detected thru reviewing death certificates. Those from 20 to 49 years old males were reviewed. Deaths from AIDS, immunodeficiency or other diseases that seemed to be AIDS cases, were selected and analysed in reference to age, occupation, case reporting to the surveillance system and the diseases mentioned in the death certificates. Three hundred and fifty nine death out of 4023 death certificates were caused by AIDS. Of these, 305 (85 per cent ) were cases reported to the surveillance system. AIDS or immunodeficiency were mentioned in 54 deaths not reported as AIDS cases and this disease was the underlying cause of death in 26 of them and in 10, AIDS was mentioned but not as the underlying cause of death. Those 54 cases identified by this study increases 7 per cent the number of AIDS cases in the City of São Paulo and 7,3 per cent the deaths caused by this syndrome. The letality increases from 77,8 per cent to 79,3 per cent in the period considered. The AIDS cases identified in this study were of young men (58 per cent were between 20 and 34 year old) and single males (81,9 per cent ) and the death occurred in the Hospital (95,3 per cent ). The most frequent occupation were bank clerks (6,7 per cent ), office clerks (6.4 per cent ), hairdressers (5.3 per cent ) and commercial workers (3.9 per cent ). Among underreported cases there were more people with university degrees.

O consumo de alimentos é frequentemente avaliado em estudos sobre a etiologia de doenças crônicas não-transmissíveis. A maioria desses estudos nutricionais utiliza métodos que dependem de auto-relato e são susceptíveis a potenciais erros. Um desses principais vieses é o sub-relato da ingestão energética, o qual consiste no relato de energia implausivelmente inferior às quantidades mínimas necessárias à manutenção do peso corporal do indivíduo. Objetivos: Identificar a prevalência e os fatores associados ao sub-relato e analisar os padrões dietéticos de indivíduos sub-relatores e não sub-relatores da ingestão energética. Métodos: Foram utilizados dados do estudo transversal de base populacional ISA - Capital 2008, de indivíduos com 20 anos ou mais, de ambos os sexos. A ingestão energética foi avaliada pela média de dois recordatórios de 24 horas coletados em dias não consecutivos. O gasto energético total foi calculado por equação preditiva, considerando sub-relatores indivíduos com ingestão energética inferior a 1 ou 2 desvios-padrão (DP) da razão ingestão energética/gasto energético total predito. A análise de regressão múltipla foi utilizada para identificar os fatores associados à subnotificação e a análise fatorial por componentes principais foi utilizada para identificar os padrões alimentares. Resultados: A prevalência de sub-relatores da ingestão energética utilizando o ponto de corte de 2 DP foi de 15,1 por cento e com 1 DP, 60, 9 8 por cento. Indivíduos com excesso de peso e insatisfeitos com o peso corporal apresentaram maior chance de serem sub-relatores quando comparados aos indivíduos sem excesso de peso e aos satisfeitos com peso corporal, respectivamente. A média de IMC entre indivíduos sub-relatores mostrou-se significativamente superior à de não sub-relatores, contraditoriamente, a média da ingestão energética foi estatisticamente inferior. Em cada grupo, foram identificados três padrões principais não semelhantes. Não houve diferença entre os grupos no consumo de carboidratos, mas a proporção de gorduras e proteínas foi maior no grupo de sub- relatores. Conclusão: É necessário o estudo de métodos que sejam viáveis de serem aplicados em estudos de base populacional e isso se torna mais relevante quando a população tem elevada prevalência excesso de peso, pois o mesmo associa-se tanto à maior ocorrência de doenças crônicas não-transmissíveis quanto à maior chance de sub-relato / The consumption of food is often evaluated in studies on the etiology of chronic diseases. Most of these nutritional studies use methods that rely on self- report and are subject to potential errors. One such bias is the major underreporting of energy intake, which consists of the report implausibly energy less than the minimum necessary to maintain the individual\'s body weight. Objectives: To identify the prevalence and factors associated with underreporting and analyze dietary patterns of underreporters and non- underreporters of energy intake. Methods: We used data from a cross-sectional population-based ISA - Capital 2008, individuals aged 20 or more, of both sexes. Energy intake was assessed by averaging two 24-hour recalls collected on nonconsecutive days. Total energy expenditure was calculated by the predictive equation, considering underreporters if energy intake less than 1 or 2 standard deviations (SD) of the ratio energy intake / predict energy expenditure. A multiple regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with underreporting and principal components factor analysis was used to identify dietary patterns. Results: The prevalence of underreporters of energy intake using the cutoff of 2 SD was 15.1 per cent and using 2 SD was 60.8 per cent. Individuals who are overweight and dissatisfied with body weight were more likely to be underreport when compared to individuals without overweight and satisfied with body weight, respectively. The mean BMI among individuals underreporters was significantly 11 higher than that of non-sub-rapporteurs, contradictorily, the average energy intake was significantly lower. In each group, identified three main patterns are not similar. There was no difference between groups in carbohydrate intake, but the proportion of fat and protein was higher in the group of underreporters. Conclusion: It is necessary to study methods that are feasible to be applied in population-based studies and this becomes more relevant when the population has a high prevalence of overweight, because it is associated with both a higher incidence of chronic non- transmitted as a higher likelihood of underreporting

This dissertation analyzes rewards and motivations of self-employment. In light of recent research contributions of Barton Hamilton (2000), which find entrepreneurship not as financially rewarding as wage work, my dissertation attempts to both verify and explain this claim. The first essay proposes a theoretical model of evolution of erroneous earnings expectations on part of a nascent entrepreneur. Inability to observe, survey, and take into account all of the returns to entrepreneurship prior to business entry creates a biased set of beliefs on part of the potential entrants. Using Bayesian learning, a nascent entrepreneur starting out with correct perception of profit distribution arrives at erroneous beliefs by incorporating limited information collected from existing businesses. An observed distribution of surviving businesses would exhibit higher earnings because of previous, unobserved, business failure entrepreneur get an overly positive view of her profit potential. Hence, the chapter offers a unique method of modeling overconfidence. The second essay undertakes dynamic empirical comparison of earnings received by business owners and their wage counterparts. Using Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP) I examine both short and long run returns to entrepreneurship comparing theses rewards to wage earners returns. I pay particular attention to transitions into and out of business ownership. I estimate entire earnings distribution. To characterize dynamic aspect of changes to individuals’ earnings I split the income distribution into five income quintiles and follow survey participants over the period of seven years. I find that period-to-period transitions to be Markovian. I find business tenure to be short, business ownership is costly in the short and rewarding in the long run. The third essay considered different reporting schemes applied to the self-employed. It is another empirical investigation of entrepreneurial earning uses Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID). I find entrepreneurs while reporting lower than wage workers earnings enjoy significant consumption premiums. I observe evidence of income underreporting by entrepreneurs. This finding suggests a need for better earning comparison metrics and proposes to use consumption rather than income metrics for future comparisons.

Domestic violence against women (DVAW) is a global pandemic that affects approximately one in three women living in the United Kingdom. One of the biggest challenges in combating and preventing DVAW is the underreporting of incidences to law-enforcement by victims and the collective silence of bystanders who are aware of the abuse but choose to remain silent (i.e. social silence). This degree project compares evidence regarding social silence and underreporting of DVAW and how DVAW is represented in British awareness campaigns to answer the research question: What gaps exist between evidence available in respect of contributing factors to social silence and underreporting of DVAW and how key players in the space of DVAW prevention in the United Kingdom (UK) represent DVAW in public awareness campaigns aimed at addressing these issues? A literature review served to establish state of the art evidence and was followed by a Foucauldian discourse analysis of selected visual media texts from awareness raising campaigns published by British key players (i.e. NGOs and government agencies) in the area of DVAW. The analysis was conducted in three stages: 1) relevant discourse fragments were identified according to strict sampling criteria, 2) texts were analysed with a step-by-step approach, in order to identify key themes and a typical sub-sample of discourse fragments, and 3) an in-depth analysis of two typical campaign texts was conducted. The analysis revealed that a range of misalignments and gaps exist. DVAW is represented in isolation as an issue of individuals rather than society. Some of the most problematic attitudes contributing to social silence and underreporting of DVAW such as victim blaming remain largely unaddressed. Victims of DVAW are represented in isolation and the responsibility to act and stop the abuse is often placed on the them. Perpetrators of DVAW in particular, but also men in general, are largely excluded from the discourse. Instead of encouraging victims and building their confidence, a bleak picture of isolation and fear is painted in campaign texts. Some of the discourse fragments included in the analysis appear to perpetuate the very misconceptions and stereotypes they are trying to address. There is ample opportunity for British key players in the space of DVAW to take a leading role in challenging the current discourse and assume their role of influencer in the fight to break social silence and increase the reporting of DVAW.

No description available.

No description available.

O estudo da criminalidade é multidisciplinar e, em razão de suas consequências negativas para o bem-estar social, recentemente, o crime também se tornado um tema de interesse dos economistas. No Brasil, país que apresenta o maior número absoluto de homicídios dolosos no mundo, este interesse surgiu principalmente a partir do início do século XXI. Em meio à crescente literatura sobre o tema, essa tese buscou, por meio de dois artigos, contribuir para a análise e o entendimento deste fenômeno. No primeiro artigo, recorrendo a uma Análise de Fronteira Estocástica, estimou-se e analisou-se o subregistro de crimes contra a propriedade em Minas Gerais. O estudo justifica-se tendo em vista que o subregistro deve afetar a eficiência das políticas de segurança pública, principalmente, no que tange à alocação de recursos. Os resultados do artigo permitiram verificar os principais determinantes do subregistro e, além disso, encontrar importantes consequências do fenômeno. Entre os principais resultados, pode-se destacar que: o subregistro afeta a interpretação das estatísticas oficiais; este fenômeno influencia a atividade criminosa e; há evidências de que o registro de um crime é realizado por meio de uma avaliação de benefício-custo. No segundo artigo desta tese, que pode ser lido de modo independente do primeiro, o objetivo foi verificar, empiricamente, a existência do efeito do custo moral, aproximado pelo capital social, sobre o risco de vitimização para crimes contra a propriedade. O capital social deve afetar a criminalidade tanto pela ótica da vítima, quanto do criminoso. Pela ótica da vítima, maiores níveis de capital social entre os indivíduos elevam a probabilidade de estes cooperarem para um benefício mútuo, como o combate à criminalidade. Sob a ótica do criminoso, o capital social deve elevar o custo moral da atividade criminosa, reduzindo os benefícios da prática e, consequentemente, o risco de vitimização. Apesar da relevância teórica desta variável para explicar a criminalidade, dada a dificuldade de mensuração empírica, na literatura sobre o tema, o custo moral tem sido negligenciado ou considerado através de proxies incapazes de captá-lo adequadamente. Ademais, são escassos na literatura os estudos empíricos que comprovam essa relação, principalmente no Brasil. Como resultado principal do estudo, tem-se que a hipótese de que incrementos no capital social são capazes de reduzir o risco de vitimização não pôde ser rejeitada. / The study of crime is multidisciplinary and, because of its negative consequences for social welfare, crime has also recently become a subject of interest to economists. In Brazil, the country with the highest absolute number of intentional homicides in the world, this interest arose mainly after the beginning of the 21st century. In the midst of the growing literature on the subject, this thesis sought, in two articles, to contribute to the analysis and understanding of this phenomenon. In the first article, using Stochastic Frontier Analysis, the underreporting of crimes against property in Minas Gerais was estimated and analyzed. The study is justified considering that underreporting may affect the efficiency of public security policies, especially regarding resource allocation. The results of the article allowed to verify the main determinants of underreporting and, in addition, to find important consequences of the phenomenon. Among the main results, it can be highlighted that: underreporting affects the interpretation of the official statistics; that this phenomenon influences criminal activity, and that there is evidence that filing a crime report is carried out by means of a benefit-cost evaluation. In the second article of this thesis, which can be read independently of the first one, the objective was to verify the existence of a moral cost effect, approached by social capital, on the risk of victimization for crimes against property. Social capital must affect crime both from the perspective of the victim and of the criminal. From the point of view of the victim, higher levels of social capital among individuals increase the likelihood of cooperating for mutual benefit, such as combating crime. From the point of view of the criminal, social capital must raise the moral cost of criminal activity, reducing the its benefits and, consequently, the risk of victimization. Despite the theoretical relevance of this variable to explain crime, given the difficulty of empirical measurement, moral cost has either been neglected in the literature on the subject or considered through proxies that are unable to assess it adequately. In addition, there are few empirical studies in the literature that prove this relationship, specially in Brazil. As a main result of the study, we conclude that we cannot reject the hypothesis that increases in social capital can reduce the risk of victimization.