Intercantonal comparison of the hospitalization rates of the Costa Rican Elderly Population associated with COVID-19

Abstract

The article aims to create a typology of the cantons belonging to the Central Region of Costa Rica, according to their vulnerability levels to COVID hospitalization rates among the elderly population during 2020. Methodologically, official information on reported cases by the Ministry of Health of Costa Rica was used, as well as a set of sociodemographic indicators estimated by the National Institute of Statistics and Censuses of Costa Rica. Based on this information, the technique of cluster analysis was applied, resulting in the creation of five groups of cantons, according to their hospitalization rates and vulnerability levels to the possibilities of hospitalization. The findings indicate that, in general, it can be asserted that cantons with a higher percentage of urban population, higher population density, higher levels of intercantonal mobility, a greater percentage of the population working in tertiary sector occupations, and a higher percentage of the population below the poverty line are, in turn, the most vulnerable to COVID infection and hospitalization rates among the elderly population.