Epidemiological overview of dementia in Brazil from 2010 to 2020

Background: Brazil is the second country in dementia cases prevalence. The populational aging worsens this situation and overloads the healthcare system. Objectives: To analyze the epidemiological data of dementia in the period from 2010 to 2020 in Brazil. Design and setting: Descriptive cross-sectional epidemiological study with patients with Dementia in Brazil between 2010 and 2019. Methods: Study realized using the SUS Hospital Information Systems (SIH/ SUS), with the information provided by the SUS Informatics Department. Results: From 2010 to 2020, Brazil had 170 million dementia cases notifications and 31 thousand hospitalizations. The southeast region had the highest case prevalence (88%), and the North region the lowest (0.36%). The hospitalized patients number per 100.000 inhabitants was highest in the South region (25.11) and lowest in the North region (4.55). The Center-west region had the highest mortality rate (16.43) and the North the lowest (1). 53% of the reported cases were males, being 51% of the hospitalization rate. The mortality rate was higher in female patients (8.58) and 7.18 for male patients. Patients over 70 years accounted for 75% of the deaths. The patients between 30 and 39 years presented the longest average hospital stay (140,6 days). Southeast and South had the longest (122.2) and shortest (15.1) hospital stay in days, respectively. Conclusion: The data showed the disparity among the regions, from hospitalizations to mortality rates. Hence, politics that can embrace the totality of the territory, improving patient comfort, and disease prognostic are needed.