TRENDS IN HOSPITALIZATIONS AND MORTALITY FROM PULMONARY TUBERCULOSIS IN BRAZIL: A REGIONAL EPIDEMIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS FROM 2015 TO 2025

Abstract

Pulmonary tuberculosis remains one of the most significant infectious diseases affecting global public health, accounting for substantial morbidity and mortality, particularly in developing countries. In Brazil, despite advances in diagnostic and therapeutic strategies, the disease continues to impose a considerable epidemiological burden, with heterogeneous distribution across the country's regions. This study aimed to analyze trends in hospitalizations and deaths due to pulmonary tuberculosis in Brazil between 2015 and 2025, considering their temporal, regional, age-related, and sex-specific distribution. This ecological, descriptive, quantitative epidemiological study was conducted using secondary data obtained from the Hospital Information System of the Brazilian Unified Health System (SIH/SUS), available through the Department of Informatics of the Unified Health System (DATASUS). Hospitalizations and deaths related to pulmonary tuberculosis were analyzed according to geographic region, age group, and sex. During the study period, 1,067,521 cases of pulmonary tuberculosis were recorded in Brazil. The Southeast Region accounted for the highest number of cases, with 479,728 notifications (44.9%), followed by the Northeast Region with 275,643 cases (25.8%), the South Region with 130,556 cases (12.2%), the North Region with 129,679 cases (12.1%), and the Midwest Region with 51,915 cases (4.9%). Regarding age distribution, the highest frequency was observed among individuals aged 20–39 years, totaling 485,599 cases (45.5%), followed by those aged 40–59 years, with 338,492 cases (31.7%). Concerning sex distribution, males accounted for 748,027 cases (70.1%), whereas females represented 319,364 cases (29.9%). During the same period, 9,959 deaths due to pulmonary tuberculosis were recorded, with the highest concentration occurring in the Southeast Region (4,711; 47.3%), followed by the Northeast Region (2,733; 27.4%). The highest mortality frequency was observed among individuals aged 50–59 years (2,254; 22.6%), and males accounted for the majority of deaths, totaling 7,622 cases (76.5%). In conclusion, pulmonary tuberculosis remains a major public health challenge in Brazil, showing increasing trends in both hospitalizations and mortality throughout the analyzed period. The concentration of cases and deaths in the Southeast and Northeast regions, as well as the predominance among males and economically active individuals, highlights the influence of social, economic, and demographic determinants on the disease burden. These findings reinforce the need to strengthen epidemiological surveillance, early diagnosis, contact tracing, and treatment adherence strategies, contributing to the reduction of tuberculosis-related morbidity and mortality in the country.