OBJECTIVES: In Latin America (LATAM), real-world data (RWD) analyses on hospital resource use in oncology are scarce. The objective of this study is to analyze number of hospitalizations (NoH) and length of stay (LoS) among oncology indications in LATAM countries using RWD.

METHODS: LATAM countries with the largest population selected (Brazil and Mexico). Most prevalent Cancers in Brazil were selected from the 2018 Globocan 1-year prevalence data (C50, C61, C18-C21, C53, C73, C33-34, C54, C16, C67). Number of patients were estimated and hospitalization data (NoH; LoS) were obtained from Private and Public healthcare databases: ANS database and Datasus for Brazil and the Automated Subsystem of Hospital Discharges (SAEH) for Mexico. Descriptive statistics was applied.

RESULTS: Overall, annual average hospitalizations per patient (HPP) was higher in Brazil, varying 0.33 (C54) to 6.86 (C61) HPP; in Mexico it varied 0.8 (C53) to 0.08 (C61) HPP. In Mexico, HPP was highest in the Seguro Popular (0.87); in Brazil it was highest in public healthcare system (2.61). In Mexico, overall average LoS was 1.7 days, varying between 0.1 days for C50 and 6.0 days for C16. Average LoS was highest in Seguro popular (2.4 days) and lowest in the IMSS (0.8 days). Overall, the average LoS was highest for C16 in SEDENA/PEMEX/SEMAR (6.0 days) and lowest for C53 in ISSSTE (0.1 days). In Brazil, on average, LoS was 14.5 days among these indications, varying between 9.5 days (C54) and 17.7 days (C33-c34). Average LoS was longest in the Group Medicine Healthcare (23.0 days) and lowest in Health Insurances (6.0 days). Overall highest average LoS was 32.0 days (C16) with Philanthropy health providers.

CONCLUSIONS: Hospitalization resource use varies considerably across health subsystems and between countries. Study limitations are related to RWD capture as well as structural and financing differences across subsystems.