Are heart attacks deadlier on weekends? Evidence of weekend effect in Brazil

• Published in: Ciência & saude coletiva Vol. 29; no. 8; p. e03892023
• Main Authors: Leivas, Pedro Henrique Soares, Triaca, Lívia Madeira, Santos, Anderson Moreira Aristides Dos, Jacinto, Paulo de Andrade, Tejada, César Augusto Oviedo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Brazil ABRASCO - Associação Brasileira de Saúde Coletiva 01-08-2024
• Subjects: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Brazil - epidemiology; Female; Hospital Information Systems; Hospital Mortality; Hospitalization - statistics & numerical data; Humans; Logistic Models; Male; Middle Aged; Myocardial Infarction - epidemiology; Myocardial Infarction - mortality; National Health Programs - organization & administration; Patient Admission - statistics & numerical data; PUBLIC, ENVIRONMENTAL & OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH; Quality of Health Care; Time Factors; Brazil; Brazil; Brasil; In-hospital mortality; Mortalidade hospitalar; Acute myocardial infarction; Infarto agudo do miocárdio
• ISSN: 1413-8123; 1678-4561; 1678-4561
• DOI: 10.1590/1413-81232024298.03892023

This article aims to examine the effects of weekend admission on in-hospital mortality for patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in Brazil. Information from the Hospital Information System of the Unified Health System (SIH/SUS) of urgently admitted patients diagnosed with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) between 2008 and 2018 was used, made available through the Hospital Admission Authorization (AIH). Multivariable logistic regression models, controlling for observable patient characteristics, hospital characteristics and year and hospital-fixed effects, were used. The results were consistent with the existence of the weekend effect. For the model adjusted with the inclusion of all controls, the chance of death observed for individuals hospitalized on the weekend is 14% higher. Our results indicated that there is probably an important variation in the quality of hospital care depending on the day the patient is hospitalized. Weekend admissions were associated with in-hospital AMI mortality in Brazil. Future research should analyze the possible channels behind the weekend effect to support public policies that can effectively make healthcare equitable.