Hospitalizations, deaths, and health costs for diabetes mellitus and obesity in Acre, Brazil: A retrospective time-series study (2000 – 2021)

Introduction: Obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) are among the most significant public health challenges worldwide, with profound effects on morbidity, mortality rates, and healthcare costs. Objective: The aim of this study is to evaluate the trends in deaths, hospitalizations, and hospital costs associated with T2DM and obesity in Acre, Brazil, from 2000 to 2021. Method: This retrospective time-series study utilized official microdata from the Mortality Information System, the Hospital Information System (SIH/SUS), and the Information System for Notifiable Diseases, all registered with the Ministry of Health through the SUS Department of Informatics. Data were extracted for T2DM cases between 2000 and 2021, and for obesity cases from 2013 to 2021, focusing on age, sex, and race/skin color, as well as death rates, hospitalizations, hospital costs, and municipality-level variations. Results: Our findings reveal a significant increase in T2DM-related deaths over the study period, accompanied by rising hospital costs. A higher prevalence of T2DM-related mortality was observed among older age groups, with a roughly equal distribution between men and women. For obesity, hospitalizations were more frequent after the age of 30, particularly among women. In addition, a strong correlation was found between deaths from T2DM and hospitalizations due to obesity, suggesting that many T2DM-related deaths occurred among individuals also hospitalized for obesity, a condition that often involves multiple comorbidities.