Abstract
ABSTRACT Objective: to analyze cases of trauma caused by traffic accidents in elderly individuals assisted at a reference municipal emergency hospital in 2010 and 2011. Method: longitudinal retrospective study was developed at an emergency hospital and a Traffic Accidents Repression Station, with 524 elderly individuals. All variables were submitted for descriptive analysis. Risk of involvement in accidents, occurrence of injury and death were determined using relative risk. Results: a statistically significant association was found in accidents with injuries when motorcycles were the vehicle that ran over the individual. Associations were also found between men and the occurrence of accidents, injury and death, mainly among younger elderly individuals. Most of the 524 elderly individuals who suffered an accident were men, married and had elementary school level education. Of these, 78.6% presented with injuries, with the majority of them being pedestrians. Conclusion: among younger elderly individuals, the possibility of death as a result of the injury was 3.4 times higher in 2010.
Highlights
The health care of the elderly is a priority, due to the growth of the elderly population in the world
In the year 2050, it will correspond to about 25 to 29%, a figure similar only found in Japan, whose elderly population corresponds to 30% of the total population.[2]
Regarding the prevalence of trauma, in relation to marital status, it was found that married elderly people were the majority, which can be seen in the results of a retrospective study, based on the analysis of secondary data in a general hospital in the interior of São Paulo, which identified the socio-demographic profile of the elderly victims of trauma.[14]
Summary
The health care of the elderly is a priority, due to the growth of the elderly population in the world. The Brazilian elderly population currently accounts for 10 to 19% of the total population. In the year 2050, it will correspond to about 25 to 29%, a figure similar only found in Japan, whose elderly population corresponds to 30% of the total population.[2]. Parallel to this population growth, it is observed that the elderly are living healthier and remain active for longer. The occurrence of trauma has significantly increased in this group, and its management should be seen as a public health problem, which requires preventive action.[3]
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