Ophthalmologist distribution in Brazil and its association with visual health indicators in 2021

Objective:  To analyze the distribution of ophthalmologists across Brazilian regions to identify its association with hospital admission indicators for visual morbidities in 2021.

Methods:  This is an ecological study that used data from DATASUS and the Conselho Brasileiro de Oftalmologia. Rates of ophthalmologists and hospital admissions per 100,000 inhabitants were calculated.

Results:  A higher concentration of ophthalmologists was found in the Southeast and South regions, while the North and Northeast showed proportionally higher rates of hospital admissions. An inverse relationship was observed between the number of specialists and the number of hospitalizations due to ocular morbidities.

Conclusion:  The distribution of ophthalmologists in Brazil may influence the greater development of ocular pathologies requiring hospital admission. Therefore, there is a need for more public policies focused on equity in access and ophthalmologic care, as well as greater regionalization of specialized services in this field.

Keywords:
Demography; Health workforce; Hospitalization; Eye diseases; Ophthalmologists