Analysis of hospital admissions for bariatric surgeries financed by Public Health System in Brazil

Abstract

Study design: Cross-sectional descriptive study.

Objective: The objective of this study was to analyze the evolution of the quantitative and value approved by the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS), from 2008 to 2018, regarding surgical procedures of gastroplasty (bariatric surgery) related to the main diagnosis of obesity due to excess calories.

Methods: An ecological study was conducted with data collection obtained from the Hospital and Ambulatorial Information Systems of SUS (SIH/SUS and SAI/SUS). Monthly data of the quantitative and approved value were collected regarding the selected procedures associated with bariatric surgeries in the national scope, covering the period from January 2008 to July 2018.

Results: The results show a sharp increase in the quantity of procedures of gastroplasty financed by SUS. In 2017, 10,840 gastroplasty procedures were financed with public resources totaling approximately R$ 69 million. In July 2018, the average cost of the gastroplasty procedure for SUS was estimated in R$ 6,449.30. It was observed that the average length of stay and the average rate of deaths related to gastroplasty procedures presented considerable reduction. It is also evidenced that women represent about 85% of the patients for bariatric surgeries financed by SUS.

Conclusions: The obesogenic epidemic afflicting the Brazilian population strongly increases in the number of gastroplasties financed by SUS, which are still considered insufficient, requiring proper public policies and initiatives in order to combat the collective obesity in Brazil.