Fatores associados ao custo das internações hospitalares por doenças infecciosas em idosos em hospital de referência na cidade do Natal, Rio Grande do Norte

Abstract

This study examined the factors associated with direct cost of hospitalizations for infectious diseases in the elderly. We conducted a case study of the costs of hospitalization in elderly patients with 60 or more years admitted in a reference hospital in the city of Natal, state of Rio Grande do Norte, during the period from January 2005 to December 2009. The Multiple Linear Regression model (log-linear) was applied to analyze the factors associated with hospitalization costs. The results of the regression model showed that each additional day of hospitalization determined a 3% increase in average spending and admissions of elderly who died produced a 71.6% increase in costs relative to admissions of patients discharged