Keywords
Abstract
Introduction: The use of alcohol and other psychoactive substances impacts public health, being one of the main factors related to hospital admissions for mental and behavioral disorders, in addition to generating high costs for the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS). Objective: To analyze hospitalizations related to the use of alcohol and other psychoactive substances in the Central-West region (Brazil) between 2019 and 2023. Methodology: A descriptive, retrospective epidemiological time-series study was conducted using data from the Department of Informatics of the Brazilian Unified Health System (DATASUS) from the Hospital Information System (SIH). The hospitalization rate for mental and behavioral disorders due to the use of alcohol and other psychoactive substances was analyzed by region (Central-West), state (Goiás), and sex, from 2019 to 2023. Results: During this period, there were 207,983 hospitalizations for psychoactive substances and 153,716 for alcohol in Brazil, predominantly among men. The number of hospitalizations decreased in 2020 for both types of substances, but then increased until 2023, which may be attributed to pandemic restrictions. Alcohol use in the Midwest and in Goiás continued to decline from 2022 onwards, which may be associated with regional policies and harm reduction strategies. Conclusion: Hospitalizations due to alcohol and other substances showed distinct patterns during the analyzed period. The findings reinforce the relevance of the topic for public health and highlight the need to implement strategies that reduce these hospitalizations and expand access to mental health care.