Femoral fracture hospitalizations among the elderly in Roraima, Brazil

Abstract

Introduction: Femoral fractures in the elderly increase the risk of morbidity and mortality, and are usually necessary for hospitalization. Due to the relevance of the theme in public health and the lack of information about the situation in the state in the period between 2015 and 2019, the following question arose: According to age group and gender, what is the profile of hospital admissions due to femoral fracture among the elderly in Roraima in this period? Objective: To describe hospital admissions for femoral fracture among the elderly, between 2015 and 2019 in the State of Roraima, Brazil. Method: This is a descriptive study, with a quantitative approach, using data from the Hospital Information System[2] of the Unified Health System[3] in the period from 2015 to 2019. For frequency analyses, codes related to femoral fracture were used according to the 10th revision of the International Classification of Diseases, age group, gender and hospital deaths. Results: It was observed that female gender was the most prevalent in hospitalizations for femur fracture (56.4%). Stratified by age group, 80 years and more represented 38.7% of hospitalizations, mostly women. This same profile was observed when hospitalizations for femoral fracture with proximal location were analyzed. Among hospitalizations with the outcome of death due to femoral fracture, there was a predominance among women aged 80 years and over (66.7%). Final considerations: In this study, it was observed that hospitalizations and hospital deaths due to femoral fracture were more prevalent in octogenarian women. Health strategies, such as the prevention of falls, should be directed to the elderly population, especially women, who are the most affected by this disease.