Pediatric mortality for non intentional injury in Havana. 2003-2012

• Published in: Revista habanera de ciencias médicas Vol. 15; no. 2; pp. 235 - 246
• Main Authors: Jose Ramón Acosta, Araiz Consuegra Otero, Bárbara Acosta Batista, Juan Rodríguez Batista, José Acosta Batista
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Universidad de Ciencias Médicas de La Habana 01.03.2016
• ISSN: 1729-519X

Introduction: unintentional accidents and injuries mean a world health problem, and turn out to be the first pediatric cause of death. Objective: to describe the epidemiologic behavior of pediatric mortality due to unintentional accidents and injuries in Havana. Material and Methods: a descriptive and retrospective study about 216 deaths by this cause that did occurs between 2003-2012, in ages from 0-14 years old, according to data offered by the statistic department of the provincial health headquarters, and the variables studied were: year, age, sex, municipality, drowning sites, and kinds according to the international classification of diseases X edition. The percentage method was used; tables and graphs were made by means of the program XLSTAT, the rates were calculated x 100 000 inhabitants. Results: decreasing death rates in the decade from 0, 92 and 0, 76 (2003) to 0, 68 y 0, 25 (2012) in males and females respectively. The most frequent causes were: traffic (41,2%), drowning (24%), suffocation (6,4%), and intoxication (5,5%). The adolescents and schoolmate pedestrian died in more proportion for traffic accidents. The drowning, happening mostly in school (40,3%) and pre-school (30,7%) in pools and sea both with 19,2% and places without security aquatic 26,9%.  The intoxication showed up same proportion in adolescent and pre-school with 46,1% and the asphyxia in nurslings with 84,6%. The traffic accidents and drowning showed bigger deaths in the municipality Boyeros. Conclusions: Mortality due to accidents still turns out to be a cardinal health problem in pediatric ages   Key words: accidents, child mortality, prevention, Immersion accident; epidemiology, primary care.