Epidemiological profile of hospitalization by diseases of the respiratory system in childhood, from 2013 to 2022, in Brazil

Abstract

Introduction: Diseases of the respiratory system are one of the most worrying causes of hospital admissions in the country, second only to cardiovascular diseases. From this perspective, the profile of hospitalizations for respiratory diseases in children allows observing the parameters of this problem, providing broad knowledge about the health and disease process in this population. Objective: Analyzing the epidemiological profile of hospital admissions due to causes of the respiratory system in children aged 0 to 9 years in Brazil and regions, between 2013 and 2022. Methodology: This is an ecological study of temporal trend, carried out in Brazil, based on secondary data from the Hospital Information System. The population chosen for this study were children from 0 to 9 years old and its main focus is the profile of hospitalizations of children in Brazil, due to respiratory diseases, in the last 10 years. The data was collected on November 26, 2022. The dependent variables of the study are hospitalizations of children aged 0 to 9 years due to respiratory system diseases in Brazil and its regions. As independent variables, there is time, from January 2013 to September 2022, regions and age group. Results: There is a downward trend in hospitalizations due to respiratory causes until 2016, followed by a gradual increase until 2019. However, in 2020, the hospitalization rate drastically reduced in all locations. The South, North and Midwest regions maintained higher rates than Brazil throughout the study period. Hospitalization in children under 1 year old represents the largest number of hospitalizations, with pneumonia being the most prevalent cause. Conclusions: Child hospitalization rates for respiratory diseases represent an important concern for public health. Thus, the relevance of the effectiveness of Primary Health Care is highlighted, which has a great impact on the outcome of illnesses in children, especially respiratory diseases.