High prevalence of respiratory diseases: a population-based ecological study, Sertão do Araripe, 2008-2019.

Objective: To investigate the prevalence and mortality of respiratory diseases between 2008 and 2019 in municipalities with gypsum industry activity in the Sertão do Araripe region, Pernambuco, Brazil.

Methods: This was a population-based ecological study using data extracted from hospital and mortality information systems. Ten municipalities from the gypsum production hub were compared to other municipalities in Pernambuco that do not have gypsum industry activity. Prevalence and mortality rates were calculated per 100,000 and 1,000 inhabitants and presented by mean values (standard deviation) for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, acute bronchitis, and pneumonia. Pearson's correlation tests, Mann-Whitney U tests, and multiple linear regression were performed to assess the relationship between gypsum industry activity and respiratory diseases.

Results: During the study period, 17,630 cases of respiratory diseases were recorded, with a mean prevalence of 454.74 (147.16) per 100,000 inhabitants and a mortality rate of 0.34 (0.08) per 1,000 inhabitants. Pneumonia accounted for 12,680 hospitalizations, with a prevalence of 431.20 (173.04) per 100,000 inhabitants, being most frequent in Ouricuri (543.08), Ipubi (409.93), and Moreilândia (404.80). A higher prevalence of pneumonia was observed in municipalities within the gypsum production hub (p-value 0.007). A positive correlation was found between respiratory diseases and the hospital bed occupancy rate (r 0.24; p-value<0.050), and a negative correlation with per capita public health expenditures. There was a significant association between the presence of the gypsum industry and pneumonia (p-value<0.001).

Conclusion: The gypsum industry's activity is associated with the prevalence of respiratory diseases in the region, with a particular emphasis on the high rates of pneumonia.