Hospitalizations for primary care-sensitive conditions in a Southern Brazilian municipality

Abstract Objective To study the most frequent causes of hospitalizations for primary care-sensitive conditions (HPCSC) in the city of Juiz de Fora, Brazil, by age group and gender, over the periods of 2002 to 2005 and of 2006 to 2009. Methods This was a descriptive study, with data collected from the Hospital Information System of the Unified Health System (Sistema de Informacao Hospitalar do Sistema Unico de Saude - SIH-SUS) and from population projections by the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatistica – IBGE). HPCSC rates were calculated for 1,000 inhabitants, and the most frequent causes were studied by gender and age group, comparing both periods. Results HPCSP showed rates of 7.74/1,000 between 2002 and 2005 and 8.81/1,000 between 2006 and 2009. The main causes were heart failure, cerebrovascular diseases, angina pectoris, pulmonary diseases, and kidney and urinary tract infections, which together represented 4.9/1,000 in the first period and 5.6/1,000 in the second period. The evolution of the rates between both periods occurred differently by age group and gender. Conclusion The study did not exhibit any remarkable differences in HPCSC rates between the periods. Regarding the most frequent causes, reduced hospitalization rates for gastroenteritis, asthma, high blood pressure, and cerebrovascular diseases were observed, as well as increased hospitalizations for heart failure, pulmonary diseases, epilepsies, and kidney and urinary tract infections; these hospitalizations occurred differently by gender and age group. The results showed that a deep reflection regarding the determinants of hospitalizations for avoidable causes is needed.