Hospital admissions of injured motorcyclists in Brazil from 2012 to 2022

Abstract

Objective: To describe the costs to the Unified Health System (SUS) for hospital admissions of motorcyclists involved in accidents in Brazil between 2012 and 2022. Methods: This study was conducted by collecting secondary data made available in the "SUS Hospital Morbidity due to External Causes," focusing on the cause group V20–V29 (motorcyclists traumatized by traffic accidents) from the TABNET/DATASUS database. Data collection occurred in February 2023. The variables analyzed included: year of notification, region of notification, age group, color/race, education level, and cost of hospitalization. Population data was acquired from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics, based on the 2010 Census, and the motorcycle fleet data was sourced from the website of the said institution. Results: Hospitalizations resulting from motorcycle accidents were predominantly observed in men (n = 963,167) and young adults aged 20–29 (n = 402,729). The expenditure on hospitalizations during the study period amounted to BRL1,624,749,356.20. Most states experienced an increase in the rate of hospitalization due to motorcycle accidents over the study period, with Acre, Roraima, and Goiás being exceptions. When examining the costs of hospitalizations by age group, notable differences were found across states. In the age group with the highest number of hospitalizations, Mato Grosso do Sul, the average expenditure was BRL2,053.60. Conclusion: Healthcare costs for hospitalizations were higher for men than for women. There was an observed increase in spending on hospital admissions for motorcyclists involved in accidents between 2012 and 2022. Investment in the prevention of traffic accidents could not only save lives but also potentially reduce healthcare expenditures.