Idosos vítimas de acidentes e violência atendidos em um serviço de emergência do sul do Brasil.

Abstract

Population aging is a worldwide phenomenon, with stronger growth in developing countries. In parallel, in this context, there is the epidemiological transition in which the infectious-contagious and parasitic diseases has given way to the Non transmissible chronic diseases and the external causes characterized by accidents and violence. Although the main victims of externalcauses still young adults, this event has had the attention also in older population, since theses causes tend to deteriorate the global health, require long hospitalization and onerous to the health system, causing disabilities and/or decline in functional capacity and interfering in the active aging. The objective of the study was: describe the profile of elderly and of the accidents and violence that motivated them to seek care in the emergency service in Pelotas-RS. This was a quantitative research approach cross-section and descriptive, with elderly patients in the emergencyservice in Pelotas-RS by external causes. The instrument used for data collection wasa questionnaire with pre-codified questions. We identified 348 elderly and 324 were interviewed. Losses and refuses amounted 6,8%. In this research the most of the elderly were women. The predominant skin color was the white. The mean age was 71,2 years and the age range of 75 years and over represent the largest proportion (32,4%). Regarding the city of origin and the proceeded 84,9% were of Pelotas and 88,9% of urban zone. With regard to marital status, (43,5%) of the elderly are married or living with a partner, and the second highest proportion is of widows (33,3%). Elderly who lives with partner or only with children had the same proportion each (25,0%) and those who live alone (20,7%). We observed that 81,8% of the elderly refers to read and write. Retirees accounted for the majority, which in the largest source of income among the elderly. The falls were the most frequentexternal causes (62%), followed by other unintentional causes, traffic accidents and intentional causes. Analyzing all causes, we verified that the highest proportion occurred in the afternoon (38,4%). The residence was in 55,9% of the cases the site ofoccurrence and 55,2% of the elderly had at least one injury caused by accidentsor violence. The results indicate that falls were the external causes with the highest proportion, especially in female population. Therefore, it is necessary to realize new research of falls in this population, with the prevention perspective.