Abstract
Objective:
To describe trauma occurrences and mechanisms in elderly people assisted by the Mobile Emergency Care Service (SAMU).
Method:
Cross-sectional study conducted with records of trauma care in elderly subjects in a medium-sized city with an estimated population of 600 thousand inhabitants. The following variables were analyzed: age group, sex, year, trauma mechanism, geographic region of care and death. Data were analyzed by means of absolute and relative frequencies and when appropriate, by means and standard deviation. Statistical differences were assessed using the chi-square test for categorical variables and the ANOVA for continuous variables.
Results:
Most people involved were female, with emphasis on falls events. Elderly people aged 60-69 years were more exposed to traffic violence and interpersonal violence, while those aged 70-89 years were more exposed to falls. The most common form of trauma was fall from height (17.5%) and fall from one’s own height (62.3%), followed by traffic violence and accidents (12.7%). The central region of the city had the highest number of records of care due to falls, interpersonal violence and traffic violence. Death was the most frequent outcome among men (p<0.001) and among people who suffered falls (p=0.024).
Conclusion:
The results can contribute to understand trauma mechanisms in elderly people and direct health policies within the scope of health promotion, prevention and recovery.
Keywords
Geriatric nursing; Aged; Emergency medical services; Wounds and injuries