EPIDEMIOLOGICAL PROFILE OF DEATHS IN THE PEDIATRIC AGE GROUP DUE TO PNEUMONIA, IN BRAZIL, FROM 2019 TO 2023.

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Pneumonia is one of the leading causes of pediatric morbidity and mortality worldwide, representing a significant challenge for healthcare systems, especially in developing countries.  In Brazil, pneumonia is a particular concern due to its high incidence and disproportionate impact on children.  Understanding epidemiological patterns is crucial for guiding public health policies and targeted interventions that aim to reduce the burden of disease and improve health outcomes for Brazilian children. OBJECTIVE: To determine the epidemiological profile of deaths from Pneumonia in the pediatric age group in Brazil from 2019 to 2023. METHODS: This is an epidemiological, retrospective and descriptive study, with a quantitative approach, based on data obtained from the IT Department of the Unified Health System (DATASUS), carried out using data on pediatric deaths due to Pneumonia, in Brazil, between the years 2019 and 2023, using the variables: region, age group, incidence per year, sex and race. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Of the 5,696 deaths analyzed, 51.9% (2,958) were male and 48.1% (2,738) were female. Among the regions, Northeast was the most affected with 1,674 deaths (29.3%), followed by the Southeast region 26.3% (1,496) and North 24.4% (1,392), South region 10.7% (611), the region with the lowest incidence was Central-West 9.2% (523). The age range analyzed was between children under 1 and 14 years old, individuals under 1 year old were the most affected, representing 45.7% (2,606) of deaths, which is explained by the vulnerability of this population due to the immaturity of the immune system and early exposure to environmental risk factors, while the age group between 5 and 9 years old had the lowest prevalence, with 11.3% (643). Regarding race, brown individuals were most affected 49.1% (2,795), followed by white people with 20.8% (1,187) and black people had the lowest number of deaths 2.8% (164). In 2022, 1470 (25.8%) deaths were recorded, a reduction was observed in the years 2020 (734) and 2021 (742), in comparison to 2019 (1,317), a fact explained by underreporting during the coronavirus pandemic. COVID-19. Such findings reflect regional discrepancies and structural inequalities, such as differentiated access to health services, precarious health infrastructure and unfavorable socioeconomic conditions, which can directly impact incidence and outcome.  Furthermore, differences in susceptibility to respiratory infections and unequal access to healthcare explain why males and brown skin are more affected. CONCLUSION: There was a predominance of deaths among male children, with the Northeast region being the most affected. The most vulnerable age group was children under one year of age, and brown individuals represented the majority of cases, with the highest number of deaths occurring in 2022. These patterns reflect an interplay of biological, social, and environmental factors, including differences in susceptibility, unequal access to health care, and socioeconomic conditions.  Understanding these dynamics is crucial for developing effective interventions, such as creating a national care protocol and thus having equitable measures to prevent and control pediatric pneumonia in the country.