Severe Acute Respiratory Infection Surveillance in Brazil: the Role of Public, Private, and Philanthropic Health Care Units.
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ABSTRACT: Epidemiological surveillance and notification of respiratory infections is important for management and control of epidemics and pandemics. Fact-based decisions, like social distancing policies and preparation of hospital beds are taken based on several factors, including case numbers, hence health authorities need quick access to reliable and well-analyzed data. We aimed to analyze the role of the Brazilian public health system in the notification and hospitalization of patients with severe acute respiratory infection (SARI). Data of SARI cases in Brazil (2013-2020) were obtained from SIVEP-Gripe platform, and legal status of each health care unit (HCU) responsible for case notification and hospitalization was obtained from CNES database. HCUs that are part of the hospital network were classified as "Public Administration", "Business Entities", "Philanthropic Entities", or "Individuals". SARI notification data from Brazilian macroregions (North, Northeast, Midwest, Southeast, South) were analyzed and compared between administrative spheres. This study reveals that hospitalizations due to SARI increased significantly in Brazil during COVID-19 pandemic, especially in HCUs of Public Administration. In the Southeast and South, where incidence of SARI is high, philanthropic HCUs also contribute in hospitalization of SARI cases, and attend up to 7.4% of the cases notified by the Public Administration. The number of cases is usually lower in other regions, but in 2020 the Northeast showed more hospitalizations than the South. In the South, SARI season occurs later, however in 2020 an early peak was observed because of COVID-19. Notably, the contribution of each administrative sphere that manages hospital networks in Brazil in the control and management of SARI vary between regions. Our approach will allow managers to assess the use of public resources given that there are different profiles of health care in each region of Brazil, and that the public health system has a major role in notifying and attending SARI cases.
SUBMITTER: Silva DAD
PROVIDER: S-EPMC9384390 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jun
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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