Dengue Hospitalizations in the state of Pará over the last decade: An ecological study

Abstract

Introduction: Dengue is an arboviral disease transmitted by the mosquito Aedes aegypti and represents a public health problem in tropical and subtropical countries, especially in regions with limited access to healthcare services. However, the literature lacks studies on dengue-related hospitalizations in Pará, which could support more effective health policies for controlling and reducing the disease in the state. Objectives: To evaluate the temporal trend and compare dengue hospitalizations in Pará with other states in the Northern Region, outlining the epidemiological profile. Methods: This is a descriptive ecological epidemiological study using data from the Hospital Information System (SIH) from 2014 to 2023, referring to hospitalizations due to dengue (ICD C32.1). The analyzed variables included year and month of care, number of hospitalizations, hospitalization rate per 100,000 inhabitants, sex, age, and type of care. Statistical analysis was performed using Simple Linear Regression, the Kruskal-Wallis test, and Dunn’s post-hoc test, using Statistics Kingdom software. Results: A total of 13,956 hospitalizations for dengue were recorded in Pará during the study period. A reduction trend of 2.88 hospitalizations per year was observed (p < 0.005, B1 = -2.88, 95% CI [-4.62, -1.14], R = -0.80). The Kruskal-Wallis test, followed by Dunn’s post-hoc test, showed that Pará did not present a significantly different hospitalization rate compared to the other states. In the epidemiological profile, females had a higher number of hospitalizations (n=7,201) compared to males (n=6,755). The adult hospitalization rate was 4.7 times higher than that of the elderly and 1.6 times higher than that of children and adolescents. Additionally, 92.9% of hospitalizations occurred on an emergency basis. Conclusion: Pará has shown a reduction in hospitalizations due to dengue over the years. Women and adults are the most affected, with the majority of hospitalizations occurring on an emergency basis. The results suggest that this decrease may be due to more effective preventive strategies, underreporting of cases, or reduced exposure to risk factors among the population of Pará. Future studies are needed to confirm these hypotheses and guide more targeted interventions.