Epidemiological profile of hospitalizations for migraine in Brazil between 2014 and 2024: a temporal analysis based on DATASUS data
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Introduction Migraine is a highly prevalent neurological disorder with major impact on quality of life. Recognized by the World Health Organization as one of the leading causes of functional disability, migraine is characterized by recurrent episodes of intense pain, often associated with autonomic manifestations. In chronic and refractory cases, the recurrence of episodes may lead to hospital admissions for appropriate clinical management, highlighting the disease’s high morbidity burden and epidemiological relevance. Objective To analyze the epidemiological profile of hospitalizations due to migraine in Brazil from 2014 to 2024. Methods This descriptive epidemiological study, with a quantitative approach, used secondary data from the TABNET system, available through DATASUS, to analyze the epidemiological profile of migraine-related hospitalizations in Brazil. The study included all hospitalizations recorded between January 2014 and December 2024, covering all age groups, from children under 1 year old to individuals aged 80 years or older. The variables analyzed included year of hospitalization, region, sex, age group, race, and deaths. Results Between 2014 and 2024, there were 108,259 hospitalizations due to migraine in Brazil, showing an increasing trend over the period. In 2014, there were 7,717 hospitalizations, whereas in 2024, the number reached 11,874, with a peak observed in 2019 (11,996). A reduction occurred between 2020 (8,778) and 2021 (8,505), coinciding with the COVID-19 pandemic and hospital service reorganization, followed by a new increase. Regional analysis revealed that 32.34% of hospitalizations occurred in the Southeast region, 29.08% in the Northeast, 25.57% in the South, 7.39% in the North, and 5.61% in the Midwest. Regarding sex, there was a predominance of females, accounting for 66.06% of hospitalizations, while males represented 33.94% of cases. Concerning age group, the highest concentration of hospitalizations occurred among individuals aged 30 to 39 years (18.46%), followed by those aged 20 to 29 years (17.76%) and 40 to 49 years (16.68%). Regarding race/ethnicity, there was a predominance of mixed-race individuals (“pardos”) (41.43%), followed by White individuals (39.36%), Black individuals (3.10%), Asian individuals (2.15%), and Indigenous individuals (0.09%). A considerable proportion of records (13.88%) lacked information regarding race/ethnicity. As for mortality, there were 943 deaths, increasing from 32 in 2014 to 122 in 2024, corresponding to a 3.81-fold increase compared to the initial value. Conclusion Hospitalizations due to migraine in Brazil showed an increasing trend between 2014 and 2024, except for the atypical decline during the COVID-19 health crisis, with a predominance in the Southeast region and among mixed-race (“pardo”) and White individuals. The increase in the number of deaths reinforces the seriousness of the issue. Therefore, it is essential to strengthen public policies aimed at improving the quality of life of affected individuals.
Authors: Lara Samira Abreu da Silva, Rafaela Baptista de Almeida Bastos, Marcela Silveira Fontes Andrade, David Allysson Santos, Mariana Abud Dantas, Giovanna Rocha de Souza, Ana Beatryz Santana Santos, Maria Lívia de Andrade Menezes, Ana Luiza Conceição Carvalho, Maria Eduarda Parente Campos, Sanny Lara Oliveira Santana1
Language: English
Subfield: Clinical Neurology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7216699136