Hospitalization profile of elderly within the Unified Health Sistem

This is a descriptive, cross-sectional and retrospective study with focus on secondary data (Hospital Information System/DATASUS), which aimed to characterize the hospitalization profile of elderly from the Health Districts of Paraná, Brazil, from 2008 to 2011. Data were analyzed using percentages, according to age group, sex, year, cause of hospitalization, and Health District. Most admissions occurred in the age group from 60 to 69 years. Males presented higher hospitalization rates in the age groups 60-69 and 70-79. The leading causes of hospitalization were diseases of the circulatory and respiratory systems, neoplasms, digestive diseases, infectious and parasitic diseases, and injuries for poisoning and external causes. The results reinforce the importance of the health information system as a source for plan and monitor health actions aimed at the elderly population of Brazil.