OBJECTIVE:

To assess the relationship between deforestation, fires, and hospitalizations due to respiratory and circulatory diseases in the state of Pará, Brazilian Amazon, focusing on the eight municipalities with the highest deforestation rates between 2013 and 2023.

MATERIAL AND METHODS:

Annual data on fire hotspots and deforestation increment (BDQueimadas and PRODES - INPE) were analyzed, along with hospital admission records from DATASUS according to the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10), Chapters IX and X. To evaluate temporal trends in environmental and health indicators, linear regression models were fitted using year as the predictor variable for the following series: (I) aggregated, representing the combined annual total of the eight municipalities; and (II) stratified by municipality. Associations between health outcomes and exposure were tested using simple linear regressions, with hospitalizations as the dependent variable and, separately, fire hotspots or deforested area as independent variables. In addition, linear models with municipality and year fixed effects were applied to control for structural spatiotemporal variations and improve estimate robustness.

RESULTS:

The municipalities with the highest deforestation rates also presented the largest number of fires. Hospitalizations were more frequent among children under four years of age and older adults over 60 years. Significant correlations between deforestation, fires, and hospitalizations were identified in specific years and municipalities, particularly during dry periods and the COVID-19 pandemic.

CONCLUSION:

The findings indicate that fires associated with deforestation contribute to the worsening of cardiorespiratory diseases, reinforcing the need for integrated public policies for environmental control and the strengthening of collective health in the Amazon.