CHARACTERIZATION OF ELDERLY ACCIDENT VICTIMS DUE TO EXTERNAL CAUSES

• Main Authors: Clóris Regina Blanski Grden, Jacy Aurelia Vieira de Sousa, Maria Helena Lenardt, Regianne Mara Pesck, Márcia Daniele Seima, Pollyanna Kássia de Oliveira Borges
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Universidade Federal do Paraná 2014-09-01
• Series: Cogitare Enfermagem
• Subjects: Aged; External causes; Accident falls
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.5380/ce.v19i3.37972
• ISSN: 1414-8536; 2176-9133

The objective in this quantitative and retrospective study was to characterize accident events in elderly victims due to external causes, attended by a Mobile Emergency Care Service in a city in the State of Paraná, Brazil. The sample consisted of 324 events, during the sample period from June to December 2009. The ethical premises were respected in the study. Most of the victims were female (N=179; 55.25%), in the age range from 60 to 65 years, suffering from Systemic Arterial Hypertension (N=80; 24.69%) and Diabetes Mellitus (N=33; 10.18%). Events at home were significant (N=171; 52.78%); the highest incidence level was related to falls from the same height (N=185; 57.10%), followed by ground transportation accidents (N=73; 22.52%). The importance of actions by the multiprofessional health team is highlighted, focused on the prevention of accidents due to external causes in the elderly population, emphasizing information about risks and preventive care in cases of falls from the same height at home.