Evolution of hospitalizations due to TBI according to the etiology of trauma in SUS Brazil 2010 – 2019

Abstract

Introduction: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the main determinant of morbidity, mortality and disability for trauma victims, being considered a serious public health problem because it mainly affects individuals of productive age. The etiology of trauma differs according to the age group affected: falls in age extremes and external causes – especially traffic accidents – in young people and adults, constituting the main mechanism of trauma as a whole. Recent studies show that the epidemiology of TBI in the United States is changing: falls have been ahead of traffic accidents as the main mechanism of trauma, especially in the age group above 85 years of age, accompanied by the general reduction in TBI due to traffic accidents. Objective: To describe the evolution of the incidence of hospitalizations due to TBI and trauma mechanisms in the SUS between 2010 and 2019. Methods: Descriptive, cross-sectional study that analyzed hospital morbidity due to TBI in Brazil and the mechanism of trauma, from 2010 to 2019. General hospitalization data were obtained from SIH/ SUS. The ICD10 codes used were those referring to TBI: “Fracture of the skull and bones of the face” and “Intracranial trauma”. Descriptive statistics were used for data analysis. Data were collected in February 2021. Results: There was an increase in the incidence of TBI in all age groups in the period studied. Traffic accidents, despite all prevention actions, remain an important etiology in young people, adults and the elderly. There is a significant increase in the incidence of TBI and falls in the elderly and very elderly population. Conclusion: When compared to the evolution of the TBI profile in the United States, there was also an increase in incidence and etiology “falls” in the elderly and very elderly in Brazil. However, traffic accidents still represent an expressive mechanism of trauma related to TBI.