Acute viral bronchiolitis hospitalizations in children in Brazil: a longitudinal study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.11606/issn.2176-7262.rmrp.2025.225770Keywords:
Viral bronchiolitis, Hospital costs, Unified Health System, Health information systemsAbstract
Introduction: Acute viral bronchiolitis (AVB) is a condition that occurs with high incidence in the first years of life, with the main cause being lower respiratory tract infections in young children. The severity of this condition impacts both the extent of internationalization and hospital expenses. Objective: To evaluate the temporal distribution of the epidemiological elements of pediatric hospitalizations due to acute viral bronchiolitis in the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS). Method: This refers to an observational study based on a population database, thru a retrospective, longitudinal, and epidemiological analysis of information obtained from the Department of Informatics of the Unified Health System (DATASUS) in Brazil, conducted between the years 2012 and 2021, employing descriptive statistics and the application of the Tukey test. Population group consisting of pediatric patients under one year old and those aged between one and four years. Results: The predominance of international average values for the diagnosis of acute bronchiolitis is observed in the Southeast region, with an index of 3,434.9. In the length of stay, the highest significance in the Northeast region was 3.1 days. The most significant rates of hospitalization were recorded in children under 1 year old. Men showed a higher preference regarding the number of hospitalizations, reaching an average of 1,456. Moreover, the average number of deaths resulting from the diagnosis of acute viral bronchiolitis with greater frequency was observed in the Southeast region. Conclusion: The divergences in epidemiological aspects identified in different regions favor the improvement of the implementation of proactive public policies in primary care, aimed at mitigating the risks related to the diseases.
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