Abstract
Recent studies reveal that external causes are each day, more important factors for the mortality map. With the aim of drawing the epidemiological profile of the deaths by external causes in children and teenagers from Fortaleza – Ceara, Brazil, between 1990 and 1999, the present study was developed. It was a descriptive and exploratory study, which data collection source was the Mortality Information System (Sistema de Informacao de Mortalidade-SIM) from SESA-CE Epidemiological Nucleus. Analyzing the results, it was possible to observe that there was a discreet ascendant tendency in the number of deaths by external causes in childhood and adolescence. The lowest mortality coefficient was in 1992, the highest rate occurred in 1995, nevertheless, from 1996 on there was a decline. Traffic accidents showed their greater coefficient in 1995 and since then, they are decreasing. Meanwhile, the homicides, that registered their highest rate in 1995, showed a discreet decline from this year on. We conclude that external causes still have a great representativity in the studied age group, demanding efficient intervention priorizing prevention actions.
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