O impacto de desastres hidrológicos na saúde infantil: evidências para o Brasil

Abstract

This study aims to examine the impact of hydrological events on the health of children aged 0 to 2 years in Brazilian municipalities between the years 2000 and 2021. The research analyzes the frequency and intensity of hydrological events in affected municipalities, as well as the associated human and material damages. The findings reveal that these events caused significant harm, with higher values concentrated in specific periods. The analysis of hospitalizations for infectious and parasitic diseases indicates that there are significant associations with events such as infectious diarrheas and gastroenteritis (A09), while there is no significant impact on bacterial intestinal infections (A04). Moreover, the impact of these events on child health varied by gender and was more pronounced in girls during certain periods. However, the overall average effect was higher for boys over time. The study suggests that future research should focus on the exposure period, cumulative exposure, and measures of child well-being to better understand the complex effects of hydrological events on child health.