Hospitalizations for diarrhea in children under 5 years of age: time and spatial series analysis, Arapiraca, 2010–2021
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Objective: To analyze the temporal trend and spatial distribution of hospitalizations for diarrhea in children under 5 years of age in Arapiraca, Alagoas, between 2010 and 2021. Methods: This is a time and spatial series analysis of hospitalizations for diarrhea in children under 5 years of age in Arapiraca. The temporal trend in hospitalization rates was assessed using autoregressive linear regression from 2010 to 2019, estimating the average annual percent change (AAPC), the 95% confidence interval (95%CI), and the corresponding p-value. A density map was created to assess spatial distribution using the Kernel density estimator, identifying case clusters between 2017 and 2021. Results: A total of 4,013 hospitalizations were recorded; 59.9% occurred in children under 2 years of age, 57.1% remained hospitalized for 2 to 3 days, and there were 7 deaths. In 2021, hospitalization rates in children under 1 year of age were 4 times higher in the rural area (40.3/1,000 children/year; 95%CI 26.8; 64.7). The trend was increasing for hospitalizations in children under 5 years of age in rural (AAPC 0.56; 95%CI 0.29; 0.83; p-value 0.001) and urban areas (AAPC 0.06; 95%CI 0.02; 0.09; p-value 0.006), and in children aged 1 to 4 years, remaining stationary among those under 1 year of age. Spatial analysis identified clusters of cases in areas of accelerated urbanization. Conclusion: Diarrhea is one of the main causes of hospitalization in childhood, with increasing trends in vulnerable territories, reinforcing the need for health surveillance and planning.
Language: English
Subfield: Infectious Diseases
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7170663115