OBJECTIVES: to characterize features of care provided for malnourished children aged under five years admitted to hospitals affiliated to the Brazilian National Health Service in 2004. METHODS: geographical, demographic data and information relating to diagnosis, results of care and admission to hospital available on the Brazilian National Health Service's Hospital Information System were analyzed. RESULTS: the highest rate for admission to hospital for malnutrition was found in the Northeast region. Of all admissions to hospital for malnutrition in Brazil as a whole, 36.2% were registered as non-specific. The hospital mortality rate for malnutrition in Brazil was low, but moderate for children aged under six months and high when severe malnutrition was registered in the secondary diagnosis field. The hospital mortality rate for malnutrition was also high in 102 Brazilian municipalities. It is worth noting that 11.4% of children died within the first 24 hours following admission to hospital and the complementary outpatient treatment was recommended in 3.7% of Hospital Admissions Authorizations. CONCLUSIONS: the study revealed the importance of health workers recognizing the value of the nutritional status evaluation and correctly registering this as the cause of admission to hospital, and also integrating and ordering the various levels of care for malnourished children.
Malnutrition; Child Nutrition Disorders; Child welfare; Hospital mortality; Day care
