Unnatural deaths in brazilian children and adolescents / Mortes não naturais em crianças e adolescentes brasileiros

Accidents and violence are considered an important public health problem for being the main cause of mortality among children and adolescents. Assuming the hypothesis that the deaths predominantly affect men, victims of traffic accidents, the aim of this study was to assess unnatural deaths in Brazilian children and adolescents in a city in northeastern Brazil. A cross-sectional study was carried out with analysis of 584 forensic medical reports from the Legal Medicine Institute of Campina Grande, Brazil, between January 2008 and December 2011. Descriptive and inferential statistical analysis was conducted using the chi-square test (a = 0.05). Victims were mostly males (82.4 %) and adolescents aged from 15 to 19 years (70.0 %). The main causes of unnatural deaths were aggressions (39.2 %), followed by traffic accidents (32.7 %). Significant associations between etiology and age group were observed (p< 0.001). With regard to traffic accidents, there were more records of accidents involving motorcyclists (46.7 %), followed by vehicle occupants (29.8 %) and pedestrians (15.7%). Our hypothesis was confirmed, and the aggressions and traffic accidents were the most common causes of unnatural deaths, primarily affecting males aged from 15 to 19 years. Most deaths from traffic accidents involved motorcycle accidents

Acidentes e violência são considerados um importante problema de saúde pública por ser a principal causa de mortalidade entre crianças e adolescentes. Assumindo-se a hipótese de que as mortes acometem predominantemente homens, vítimas de acidentes de trânsito, o objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar as mortes não-naturais em crianças e adolescentes brasileiros em um município da região nordeste do Brasil. Um estudo transversal foi realizado através da análise de 584 laudos medico-legais do Instituto de Medicina Legal de Campina Grande, Paraíba, ocorridos entre janeiro de 2008 e dezembro de 2011. Os resultados são apresentados por meio da estatística descritiva e inferencial com o uso do teste do Qui-quadrado (a = 0,05). As vítimas foram predominantemente do sexo masculino (82,4%) com idade entre 15 e 19 anos (70%). As principais etiologias foram as agressões (39,2 %), seguidas pelos acidentes de trânsito (32,7%). Observou-se associação estatisticamente significante entre a etiologia e a faixa etária (p < 0,001), indicando elevado percentual de mortes devido às agressões (34,9%) e acidentes de trânsito (22,9%) dentro da faixa etária de 15 a 19 anos, etiologia e gênero da vítima (p < 0,001) e tipo de acidente de trânsito e idade da vítima (p < 0,001). Com relação aos acidentes de trânsito, foram mais frequentes aqueles envolvendo motociclistas (46,7%), seguidos pelos ocupantes de veículos (29,8%) e pedestres (15,7%). Agressões e acidentes de trânsito foram as causas mais comuns das mortes não-naturais, afetando predominantemente homens com idades entre 15 e 19 anos. A maioria das mortes foi devido aos acidentes envolvendo motociclistas

Characterization of morbidity from interpersonal violence in brazilian children and adolescents

Children and adolescents are vulnerable to violent situations in their social, family and school environment. The aim of the study was to characterize morbidity due to violence in Brazilian children and adolescents. A cross-sectional study through the analysis of 1,356 corpus delicti medical reports and police reports of children and adolescents aged 0-19 years, victims of interpersonal violence was conducted from January 2008 to December 2011. Sociodemographic variables related to victims, offenders and aggressions were analyzed. There was a prevalence of females over males [56.9% vs. 43.1%] with age between 15 and 19 years [64.7%]. There was a significant association between variables age of the victim and place of occurrence, sex and type of aggression, sex and number of lesions, presence of fracture, maxillofacial injury, oral cavity lesion and physical violence; physical violence and involvement of face, neck, abdomen and back [P < 0.001]. Public streets [56.4%] were the main place of occurrence of events, followed by home [33.1%]. Family members accounted for 26.48% of aggressions. The face was the most affected body region [43.36%], with 12.61% of records referring to oral cavity lesions. Violence was responsible for a large number of non-fatal injuries to children and adolescents, affecting mainly females aged 15 and 19 years. The occurrence of such events is more frequent on public streets and at home. Most victims had multiple injuries and the face was the most affected body region