Temporal and spatial dynamics of mortality from cerebrovascular diseases in older adults in Brazil, 2008–2022
Abstract Objective: To analyze the epidemiological profile and the temporal and spatial dynamics of mortality from cerebrovascular diseases in older adults in Brazil. Method: Ecological study with temporal trend and spatial analysis. Data were obtained from the Mortality Information System of the Department of Informatics of the Brazilian Unified Health System (SIM/DATASUS), covering the period from 2008 to 2022. Cerebrovascular disease was used as the underlying cause of death. For the temporal trend analysis, Brazilian regions were adopted as the units of analysis. For the spatial analysis, Brazilian municipalities were considered as the geographic units. Results: A total of 1,233,337 deaths from cerebrovascular diseases in older adults were recorded between 2008 and 2022, corresponding to a mortality rate of 328.386 per 100,000 inhabitants. There was a predominance among individuals aged 80 years or older (45.12%), those identified as White (52.45%), and individuals with low educational attainment, concentrated among those with no formal education (24.39%) or between one and three years of schooling (25.84%). A decreasing temporal trend in mortality was identified across all regions of the country, although the values remain high. Spatial analysis revealed a heterogeneous distribution of mortality, with a predominance of high-mortality clusters in the Northeast and South regions, as well as more localized clusters in the North region. Conclusion: There is a decreasing temporal trend in mortality from cerebrovascular diseases among older adults in Brazil, despite the persistence of high rates. The presence of spatial clusters of high mortality, particularly in the Northeast and South regions, reflects the structural, regional, and socioeconomic inequalities that characterize the country, reinforcing the need for public policies that are sensitive to territorial specificities and health inequities