Hospital admissions for dementia in the Brazilian public health system over the last decade.

Objective: The rise in dementia prevalence, particularly in lower- and middle-income countries (LMIC), places a significant burden on healthcare systems. However, comprehensive data on dementia hospital admissions are scarce.

Methods: We analyzed admission rates for dementia, cost of hospital admissions, lengths of hospital stay, and in-hospital deaths in 2010 and 2019 in Brazil.

Results: Admission rates declined from 19.7/100,000 inhabitants in 2010 to 14.6/100,000 in 2019. In-hospital mortality increased from 3.9% in 2010 to 8.8% in 2019, particularly for short-term stays. Although 9.6% of hospital admissions occurred in regions with lower economic power in 2010 and 10.4% in 2019, these regions had higher mortality, reaching 4.3% of in-hospital deaths in 2010 and 9.3% in 2019.

Conclusion: The observed trends, alongside sex and regional disparities, underscore the need for targeted investment in healthcare infrastructure and training to improve dementia care in LMIC.

Highlights: The rate of hospital admissions for dementia was similar in 2010 and 2019 in Brazil.The cost per hospital admission in 2010 decreased by 38.5% compared with 2019.There was an increase in short-term hospital stays for dementia in 2019 compared to 2010, accompanied by an increase in mortality rates for these short-term stays.While hospital admissions for dementia decreased in men and increased in women, the in-hospital mortality due to dementia increased for both sexes.