Analysis of the reduction in pediatric hospitalizations for respiratory diseases due to social isolation

Abstract

Introduction: The infection caused by SARS-CoV-2 also affects the pediatric population. Social isolation (associated with the closure of daycare centers / schools) has become essential in the face of the co ronavirus. Objective: To report the relationship between social isola tion and the decrease in pediatric hospital admissions for respiratory diseases during a pandemic period, in 2019, comparing it to the same period in the following year. Method: Quantitative, descriptive, re trospective and document study, which analyzed electronic medical records, collected in a pediatric hospital in the Serra Catarinense, of hospitalizations of patients between 0-15 years old diagnosed with respiratory diseases from 03/19/2020 to 06/30/2020, compared to the same period in 2019. Results: The number of hospitalizations in 2019 between March and June for respiratory diseases was approxi mately 10 times greater than in 2020. It is noted that, in both years, the disease with the highest incidence was pneumonia; hospitali zations for bronchiolitis in 2019 corresponded to 28.5% of cases; in 2020, that number dropped (5.8%). Between the years 2019-2020, the most affected age group was 1-5 years, followed by 0-6 months, 6 months to 1 year, 5-10 years and finally 10-15 years. The number of hospitalizations in 2019 of children attending daycare/schools was 92; and in 2020 it was 5. Conclusion: There was, between 2019-2020, a significant correlation between hospitalization for respiratory dise ases, and children who attended schools/day care centers compared to those who did not attend due to the social isolation caused by the pandemic. This fact was evidenced due to the drop in the number of hospitalizations.