Abstract

GUERRA, Henrique L.; GIATTI, Luana  and  LIMA-COSTA, Maria Fernanda. Mortalidade em internações de longa duração como indicador da qualidade da assistência hospitalar ao idosoMortality during long term hospitalizations as a indicator of the quality of assistence to the elderly. Epidemiol. Serv. Saúde [online]. 2004, vol.13, n.4, pp.247-253. ISSN 1679-4974.  http://dx.doi.org/10.5123/S1679-49742004000400007.

This study proposes a model of monitoring the mortality in hospitalized older adults as an indicator of the quality of hospital care services. This study used the database of the national system for hospital information from the Brazil´s Unified Health System (SIH-SUS) in 17 hospitals, using the hospitalization authorization form (AIH) of elderly inpatients which the main procedure listed was "Patient under long term care" during the period 1999 to 2002. The mortality rates from each hospital were compared with those of the hospital with the lowest mortality rate. The ratios of monthly mortality rates [relative risk (RR)] were adjusted for sex, age and diagnosis. The rates varied from 18 to 194 deaths per 1,000 AIH-month; several hospitals had persistently higher mortality during the study period. The mortality rates are a starting point to evaluate the quality of hospital care services, using information readily available to all managers.

Keywords : older adults; hospital mortality; monitoring; epidemic surveillance.

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