Panorama epidemiológico das Internações por Leucemia em Crianças de até 9 anos no Brasil, entre 2019 e 2023

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Leukemia is a cancer that affects the blood and bone marrow, characterized by the uncontrolled proliferation of immature leukocyte cells. In children up to 9 years of age, leukemia represents a significant public health challenge. This study examines hospital admissions for childhood leukemia in Brazil between 2019 and 2023, highlighting the importance of understanding the magnitude of the disease to improve diagnosis, treatment and public policies. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to quantify and analyze the rates of hospitalizations for leukemia in children up to 9 years old in Brazil. METHODOLOGY: The retrospective study with a quantitative approach used data from the SUS Hospital Information System (SIH/SUS), provided by the SUS Information Technology Department (TABNET/DATASUS). The analysis covered hospitalizations for leukemia in children up to 9 years old in Brazil from January 2019 to December 2023, using descriptive statistics and tabulation in Microsoft Excel 2016 and Microsoft Word 10 spreadsheets. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Between January 2019 and December In 2023, Brazil recorded 64,459 hospitalizations for leukemia in children up to 9 years old. The Southeast Region had the highest number, with 22,942 cases, followed by the Northeast (19,363) and South (11,184). The North Region had 5,820 hospitalizations, and the Central-West, 5,150. There was a drop in 2020 due to the pandemic, but numbers have increased in subsequent years, highlighting the need to improve access to diagnosis and treatment across the country. CONCLUSION: Therefore, data on hospitalizations for childhood leukemia in Brazil highlight the urgent need for public policies that guarantee equity in access to diagnosis and treatment. The regional disparity, with high rates in the Southeast and Northeast and low rates in the North and Central-West, reflects inequalities in infrastructure and access to specialists. Expanding infrastructure, creating reference centers and promoting early diagnosis are essential for a fairer and more accessible healthcare system.