THE IMPACT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON STROKE MORTALITY IN A MUNICIPALITY IN PARANÁ

Abstract

This article aimed to analyze the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on stroke mortality in the municipality of Cascavel/PR, between 2018 and 2024. The methodology consisted of a descriptive, documentary, and quantitative study, based on secondary data extracted from DATASUS, using ICD-10 codes I60 to I69. The main results indicated a reduction in stroke deaths in 2020 and 2021, followed by an increase in 2022 and a new decline in 2023 and 2024. This oscillation is possibly associated with delays in diagnosis, underreporting, and changes in access to health services during the health crisis. It is concluded that the pandemic had an indirect and multifactorial impact on stroke mortality, reinforcing the need to strengthen neurological care protocols and pathways even during crisis periods.