Prevalência e perfil epidemiológico das internações hospitalares por epilepsia nas macrorregiões de saúde do Rio Grande do Sul entre os anos de 2011 a 2021

Abstract

Introduction: Epilepsy is a severe neurological disease for all ages with a worldwide prevalence of 0.5% to 1.0%. It presents in different forms and etiologies and may be influenced by socioeconomic factors. Objective: To determine the prevalence of hospital admissions due to epilepsy and establish the epidemiological profile among the health macro-regions of the State of Rio Grande do Sul. Method: An observational, quantitative, ecological, and descriptive study. The population comprises cases of hospitalization for epilepsy registered in the Hospital Information System of the DATASUS of the State of Rio Grande do Sul in the 2011-2021 decade. The observed and described variables were age group, sex, and death. Results: Males had a higher prevalence of hospital admissions (54.86%) and a higher rate of death (57.40%). The age range from 1 to 19 years was the most affected (42.10%); however, the majority of deaths occurred in patients above 60 years old (49.20%). The metropolitan macro-region had the highest prevalence in the state (4.82 cases per thousand inhabitants). Conclusion: There is a need for the implementation of public policies and more targeted and rigorous studies. In this sense, the study can help in the execution of health strategies in different macro-regions to provide better therapeutic management.