TY - JOUR
T1 - Antivenom access impacts severity of Brazilian snakebite envenoming
T2 - A geographic information system analysis
AU - Isaacson, Julia Elizabeth
AU - Ye, Jinny Jing
AU - Silva, Lincoln Luís
AU - Hernandes Rocha, Thiago Augusto
AU - de Andrade, Luciano
AU - Scheidt, Joao Felipe Hermann Costa
AU - Wen, Fan Hui
AU - Sachett, Jacqueline
AU - Monteiro, Wuelton Marcelo
AU - Staton, Catherine Ann
AU - Vissoci, Joao Ricardo Nickenig
AU - Gerardo, Charles John
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 Isaacson et al.
PY - 2023/6
Y1 - 2023/6
N2 - Background Snakebite envenoming (SBE) is a neglected tropical disease capable of causing both significant disability and death. The burden of SBE is especially high in low-and middle-income countries. The aim of this study was to perform a geospatial analysis evaluating the association of sociodemographics and access to care indicators on moderate and severe cases of SBE in Brazil. Methods We conducted an ecological, cross-sectional study of SBE in Brazil from 2014 to 2019 using the open access National System Identification of Notifiable Diseases (SINAN) database. We then collected a set of indicators from the Brazil Census of 2010 and performed a Principal Component Analysis to create variables related to health, economics, occupation, edu-cation, infrastructure, and access to care. Next, a descriptive and exploratory spatial analysis was conducted to evaluate the geospatial association of moderate and severe events. These variables related to events were evaluated using Geographically Weighted Poisson Regression. T-values were plotted in choropleth maps and considered statistically significant when values were <-1.96 or >+1.96. Results We found that the North region had the highest number of SBE cases by population (47.83/ 100,000), death rates (0.18/100,000), moderate and severe rates (22.96/100,000), and pro-portion of cases that took more than three hours to reach healthcare assistance (44.11%). The Northeast and Midwest had the next poorest indicators. Life expectancy, young population structure, inequality, electricity, occupation, and more than three hours to reach health-care were positively associated with greater cases of moderate and severe events, while income, illiteracy, sanitation, and access to care were negatively associated. The remaining indicators showed a positive association in some areas of the country and a negative association in other areas. Conclusion Regional disparities in SBE incidence and rates of poor outcomes exist in Brazil, with the North region disproportionately affected. Multiple indicators were associated with rates of moderate and severe events, such as sociodemographic and health care indicators. Any approach to improving snakebite care must work to ensure the timeliness of antivenom administration.
AB - Background Snakebite envenoming (SBE) is a neglected tropical disease capable of causing both significant disability and death. The burden of SBE is especially high in low-and middle-income countries. The aim of this study was to perform a geospatial analysis evaluating the association of sociodemographics and access to care indicators on moderate and severe cases of SBE in Brazil. Methods We conducted an ecological, cross-sectional study of SBE in Brazil from 2014 to 2019 using the open access National System Identification of Notifiable Diseases (SINAN) database. We then collected a set of indicators from the Brazil Census of 2010 and performed a Principal Component Analysis to create variables related to health, economics, occupation, edu-cation, infrastructure, and access to care. Next, a descriptive and exploratory spatial analysis was conducted to evaluate the geospatial association of moderate and severe events. These variables related to events were evaluated using Geographically Weighted Poisson Regression. T-values were plotted in choropleth maps and considered statistically significant when values were <-1.96 or >+1.96. Results We found that the North region had the highest number of SBE cases by population (47.83/ 100,000), death rates (0.18/100,000), moderate and severe rates (22.96/100,000), and pro-portion of cases that took more than three hours to reach healthcare assistance (44.11%). The Northeast and Midwest had the next poorest indicators. Life expectancy, young population structure, inequality, electricity, occupation, and more than three hours to reach health-care were positively associated with greater cases of moderate and severe events, while income, illiteracy, sanitation, and access to care were negatively associated. The remaining indicators showed a positive association in some areas of the country and a negative association in other areas. Conclusion Regional disparities in SBE incidence and rates of poor outcomes exist in Brazil, with the North region disproportionately affected. Multiple indicators were associated with rates of moderate and severe events, such as sociodemographic and health care indicators. Any approach to improving snakebite care must work to ensure the timeliness of antivenom administration.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85163060650&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1371/journal.pntd.0011305
DO - 10.1371/journal.pntd.0011305
M3 - Article
C2 - 37343007
AN - SCOPUS:85163060650
SN - 1935-2727
VL - 17
JO - PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases
JF - PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases
IS - 6 June
M1 - e0011305
ER -