Hospitalizations due to Acute Respiratory Infections in children aged 0 to 9 years: an epidemiological profile of the state of Pará between 2022 and 2024

Abstract

Introduction: Acute respiratory infections (ARI) are self-limited infectious processes that affect the respiratory system, classified according to the anatomical region they impact: infections of the upper and lower airways. These conditions have a high incidence and mortality rate in childhood, representing a significant public health problem. Objective: To describe the epidemiological profile of hospitalizations of children aged 0 to 9 years due to respiratory infections in the state of Pará during the period from 2022 to 2024. Material and Methods: A descriptive, retrospective, and quantitative epidemiological study, based on secondary data provided by the Hospital Information System of the SUS (SIH/SUS), hosted at the Department of Informatics of SUS (DATASUS). The data covered from January 2022 to December 2024, and the variables analyzed were: age group, color or race, year/month of hospitalization, morbidity list CID-10, municipality, and number of hospitalizations. Results: According to the data obtained, it was found that the total number of children hospitalized for respiratory infections in Pará was 62,006, corresponding to 42% of pediatric hospitalizations for such conditions in the Northern region of Brazil. The respiratory infection most correlated with hospitalizations was pneumonia, with 49,215 records (79%), followed by acute bronchitis and bronchiolitis, with 4,749 (7.6%). The most affected age group was 1 to 4 years, with 32,927 cases (53%). Furthermore, a pattern was observed in the distribution of hospitalizations during the analyzed period, with peaks in occurrences in the months of April, May, and June. Finally, it is noteworthy that the capital, Belém, had the highest rate in the state, with 12,170 hospitalizations (19.6%). Conclusion: The results obtained are in accordance with the literature: patients under 5 years old and the predominance of hospitalizations due to severe forms of ARI (pneumonia and bronchiolitis). Additionally, the months of April to June correspond to the Amazonian winter, a period in which the high levels of rainfall and humidity are associated with an increase in respiratory conditions. Atmospheric pollutants, concentrated mainly in the capital, are also determining factors in the illness of children, explaining the high prevalence in Belém. Therefore, given that ARIs are a significant public health problem in Pará, significant efforts are needed for their treatment and prevention.