EPIDEMIOLOGICAL PROFILE OF PATIENTS WITH SCHIZOPHRENIA IN THE NORTHEAST REGION

Abstract

To identify the number of psychiatric hospitalizations in patients with schizophrenia in the Northeast region and compare the patterns of these hospitalizations by state, age and sex, as well as to evaluate associated pathologies. This was a retrospective cross-sectional study using hospital information from the Unified Health System, referring to hospitalizations for schizophrenia in the Northeast region. Of the 370,434 cases of hospitalizations for schizophrenia in the country, the Northeast accounted for approximately 25% of the total number of hospitalizations. There was a higher prevalence in males (64%); approximately 36% of the hospitalized individuals were between 30 and 39 years old. The most common comorbidity was mood disorder (n = 148,474). The findings show that it is essential to provide information that elucidates the epidemiological variants related to schizophrenia, as well as psychiatric comorbidities.