Iron deficiency anemia in the COVID-19 pandemic: a comparative epidemiological analysis between men and women

Abstract

Introduction: Iron deficiency anemia, the most common nutritional anemia, linked to iron deficiency, became prominent in Brazil between 2018 and 2021, affecting vulnerable groups and increasing the risk of mortality. This increase occurred in a context of changes in eating habits and access to healthy food due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Objective: To analyze the data on deaths from iron deficiency anemia in Brazil, in the period from 2018 to 2022, to understand the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on this classification of death, comparing the data between men and women and by region. Methodology: A descriptive analytical study was carried out, compiling and analyzing mortality data for nutritional anemias (ICD-10 D50) from the Mortality Information System (SIM) – DATASUS for the years 2018 to 2022. Death rates were calculated per 100 thousand inhabitants, nationally and regionally, based on IBGE population data. Results and Discussion: The mortality rate for nutritional anemias increased during the critical years of the pandemic (2020–2021) and decreased in 2022. The impact was greater in the North and Northeast regions, which already had high rates, and there were also expressive increases in the Southeast and South. Men and women were affected, but with regional nuances, such as greater male vulnerability in the North. Conclusion: The pandemic widened regional inequalities and primarily affected the North and Northeast. The findings reinforce the need for public policies directed towards the prevention and treatment of anemias, considering socioeconomic factors and regional and gender specificities.