Internação e mortalidade por câncer de pulmão em idosos no Brasil no período de 2018 a 2021

Abstract

Introduction: Lung cancer, prevalent among the elderly, is one of the main causes of hospitalizations and mortality. In Brazil, we face a public health challenge due to smoking and exposure to carcinogens. Objective: To analyze the profile of hospitalizations and deaths due to lung cancer in the elderly in Brazil between 2018 and 2021. Method: Ecological study carried out with data from the Information Technology Department of the Unified Health System, extracted from the Hospital Information System and Hospitalization System on Mortality from 2018 to 2021 in Brazil. The variables considered to compose the profile were: education, gender, age group, region and color/race. Results: The number of hospitalizations (n = 99,223) and the mortality rate (between 23.99 and 42.37 deaths per 1,000 inhabitants) due to lung cancer in the elderly remained high and constant during the studied period. The largest number of patients hospitalized for lung cancer were male (n = 53,778, 54.20%), white (n = 47,049, 47.42%) and with low education (n = 8,123, 36.19%) and deaths from lung cancer also occur more frequently in males (n = 14,941, 55.60%) and white individuals (n = 12,774, 47.53%). Conclusion: It highlighted the significant impact of lung cancer on the elderly, with a high number of hospitalizations (n = 99,223) and deaths (n = 26,873). Regional and educational disparities highlight the need for specific prevention and treatment strategies. Analysis by age group, color and gender highlights the importance of different approaches.