RESUMO
OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to evaluate social, economical, and cultural factors of childhood injuries and to assess preventive measures. METHODS: The study included 120 children (75 boys, 45 girls; mean age 8.3 years; range 0 to 14 years) who presented to the emergency department due to trauma from September to December 2007. Information was gathered from the patients or parents on the following: age, number of siblings; time, etiology, place, and type of trauma; type and time of transportation, educational and sociocultural level of the parents, and whether the patient had a similar injury before. RESULTS: About one-tenth (10.8%) of the patients were admitted and treated. Twenty patients (16.7%) had at least one similar injury previously. Most of the events were household injuries (n=42, 35%). The highest number of injuries occurred at the ages of 7, 8, and 10 years, and the number of injuries remained high from 12 to 14 years of age. The most frequent site of injury was the elbow during the first six years of age, the wrist and the hand at ages 7 to 11 years, and the wrist from 12 to 14 years of age. The great majority of the mothers were housewives (86.7%). Occupation and educational status of the mother, and the number of siblings were not related with recurrent childhood injuries (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: This study provided helpful information on the characteristics of childhood trauma. Programs targeting to increase the awareness on pertinent risk behaviors and to promote educational efforts concerning the risks and preventive measures will be of great help in preventing childhood injuries, in particular at the beginning of school life (age 7) and adolescence (age 12), at which time child injuries show culmination.