EPIDEMIOLOGICAL PROFILE OF DENGUE IN THE BRAZILIAN ELDERLY POPULATION BETWEEN THE YEARS 2014 TO 2023

Abstract

Introduction: Dengue is an acute infectious disease with a high rate of viral contamination by arthropods in humans, presenting a reserved prognosis for the elderly population. Objective: To construct the epidemiological profile of dengue in the Brazilian elderly population. Methodology: A descriptive, retrospective, quantitative study based on data available from the DATASUS platform from 2014 to 2023. Results: The elderly represent 61.54% of deaths from dengue, particularly affecting those aged 80 years or older (45.13%). While the year 2022 recorded the highest number of deaths, 2023 saw the highest number of cases. The Southeast region stood out with 53.48% of notifications. Additionally, the white race had the highest number of cases (487,461), but 303,931 cases did not provide this data. Conclusion: The elderly population is notably more vulnerable compared to other demographic groups, exhibiting a high percentage of deaths due to complications of the disease. Furthermore, the data analysis revealed racial disparities, with significant gaps for statistical interpretation.