HOSPITALIZATIONS FOR TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY IN CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS: A NATIONAL ANALYSIS

Abstract

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the leading cause of death in children, presenting a challenge to emergent and precise interventions. This ecological and descriptive study aimed to highlight the epidemiological profile of hospitalizations for TBI in children and adolescents in Brazil, from January 2020 to November 2025. Data were collected from DATASUS (SIH/SUS and SIM) and analyzed using the variables: age, race/ethnicity, sex, region, year of processing, year of care, cost per hospitalization, and total cost. During the analyzed period, there were 114,417 hospitalizations, predominantly among males, in all regions of the country, in the 15-19 age group. The mixed-race ethnicity was the most affected, except in the South, where there are more cases among white people. After 2022, it was observed that despite the improvement in the indices associated with the number of hospitalizations, mortality, and annual cost - the amount spent per hospitalization almost doubled. It is concluded, therefore, that the epidemiology of TBI in pediatrics demonstrates a significant capacity for mortality and injuries, requiring greater state and medical interventions on the subject, as well as prevention strategies and greater financial support to the areas with the highest prevalence.