Impact of external causes among children and adolescents in the State of São Paulo, 2005

Abstract

External causes are among the major morbi-mortality causes of children and adolescents under 15 years of age. The objective of this study is to design an initial analysis of morbi-mortality resulting from external non intentional causes (also called “accidents”) among children and adolescents of this age bracket dwelling in the state of São Paulo, with data from 2005, emphasizing some intervention measures in the household environment. We analyzed databanks from the Mortality Information Systems (SIH), of the State Secretary of Health of São Paulo. Results showed that external causes are among the five major death causes for all age brackets of the population under study and also for hospital admittance in the Single Health System (SUS), except for under one year olds. Analysis was performed according to types of external causes and disclosed marked differences between mortality information and hospital morbidity. Suffocation, drowning and car run over were frequent death causes. Falls, burns and transportation accidents are important causes for hospitalization.