Aspectos clínico-epidemiológicos de acidentes na primeira infância: estudo retrospectivo em um hospital de alta complexidade

Abstract

Objective: to analyze and describe the main causes of accidents in early childhood corresponding to the age group of (0 to 6 years) resulting from hospitalizations in the Pediatric Emergency Room of the Clinical Hospital of the Federal University of Uberlândia (HC-UFU), in the years 2018 to 2020. Methods: a descriptive and retrospective study, based on the medical records of patients seen in the pediatric emergency department of the hospital complex of the Clinical Hospital (HC) of the Federal University of Uberlândia (UFU), from 2018 to 2020. This study included the care of patients from zero to six years of age who received accident-related care, determining sex, age, type of accident, agent, area of the body affected, skin color, religion, and origin. Results: of the 1215 medical records analyzed, there was an association between the 0 to 3 year-old group with female gender (p=0.0331), coming from settlements (p=0.0250), burns (p=0.0136) and exogenous poisoning (p=0.0027). There was a relationship between the 4 to 6 year old group and the types of accidents classified as car crashes (p=0.0053), presence of foreign body (p=0.0161) and the agents accidents with foreign body (p=0.0015). Accidents overall showed an increasing trend in the year 2019 (p= 0.0278), while etiological factors of accidents such as falls from own height showed an increasing trend in 2018 (p = 0.0352). The presence of multiplicative seasonality was detected in the months of March, with a reduction in cases of exogenous poisoning over the years. Conclusion: it is understood with the study that children are vulnerable to accidents in early childhood, and that these are responsible for the significant number of care in urgency and emergency services. Knowing the profile of child victims of accidents of external causes over time, at household level, recognizing the vulnerabilities in the occurrence of these events and also the etiological agents by group, that is, the circumstances surrounding the accidents, makes it possible to establish a more comprehensive picture of the current situation and, thus, open a broader perspective of prevention and strategies for public health policies. It is necessary to consider the infrastructure, physical space, human and material resources in the care of these children, involving parents, guardians or caregivers and health professionals in educational and also preventive actions.