[An analysis in traumatic lesions of the demand for emergency services at 12 pediatric hospitals of the city of Mexico]. / Análisis de la demanda por lesiones traumáticas a servicios de urgencia de 12 hospitales pediátricos de la ciudad de México.

A study on damages to a child's good health caused by injuries (accidents and violence), has been mainly directed towards the analysis of mortality. In reference to morbidity, very few studies have been carried out in our country. One of the primordial objectives of these studies was to explore morbidity through the demand of hospital emergency services. The study was designed using a questionnaire applied to patients during the months of September-October of 1988 while admitted in 12 pediatric hospital emergency wards. The analysis was done using a representative sample per hospital, applying the finite population formula, with a Zc = 90% and a interval of 0.05. The total number of cases studied was 3,294. The most important variables studied were: type of demand, traumatic lesion, place of occurrence, external cause, age groups, sex, day and shift of the demand, hospitalization and number of days in the ward. The results give an overall view of this health problem concerning morbidity, besides offering a basis for future investigations dealing with the identification of risk factors or the application of concrete interventions for their prevention.

[Mortality due to homicide in children. Mexico, 1979-1990]. / Mortalidad por homicidio en niños. México, 1979-1990.

A study of homicides in children under five years old was conducted in order to define the mortality panorama by this cause during 1979-1990 in Mexico. Trends of homicide mortality were analyzed, as well as the main causes by age and sex. Rate ratio (RR) by cause and sex were analyzed too. The variables were age, sex, year and external cause of intentional injuries which were analyzed according to the International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision E960-E969. The total number of deaths due to homicide were 2,939. Each day one children under five years of age died in Mexico due to homicide. The trend of homicide is b = 0.126. Thirty per cent of deaths occurred in children under one year old. Boys were most affected than girls in the causes by age: strangulation < 1 year old RR 21, confidence interval (CI) 15-30; fire arm in two years old children RR 3.1 CI 2.0-5.7; drowning in three years old children RR 2.6 CI 1.7-4.8 and assault by other and unspecified means. Further research in the area and prevention should involve the use of a multidisciplinary approach in considering the multiple causes and solutions to this problem.

[Home accidents in children less than 10 years of age: causes and consequences]. / Acccidentes en el hogar en niños menores de 10 años. Causas y consecuencias.

A case-control study was carried out, aimed at identifying and defining the individual, family, household and childcare social support network characteristics, more likely to be associated with the occurrence of accidental home injuries in 0-9 year-old children. This study was carried out in the emergency units of three pediatric hospitals in the Federal District. In this article we report the results of the descriptive analysis only of the cases. The results were as follows: male children (62%) and the one and two year-old children group (37%) were the most affected. Contusions, head injuries and fractures occupied the first three places, the main three causes being falls from one level to another (mainly in stairways and off the bed) falls on the same level (sliding, tripping or stumbling) and burns with boiling liquids (most frequently boiling water for bathing). A history of injuries was documented in only 15% of cases. Thirty nine percent of cases requested medical attention after one hour of the accident; 51% of these were hospitalized. In 25% of cases, the mother worked outside the home, being absent from 6 to 12 hours. Risk factors occurring most frequently were: unprotected electricity inlets (40%); products within reach of children: cleaning products (38%), makeup products (34%), plastic bags (30%) and tools (30%); lack of protection rails for cradles (30%) and for staircases (48%), and free access to roofs (44%). In 62 percent of cases some care was provided in the house of the injured child; twenty six percent counted on a support network, and 3 percent were by themselves. We present some proposals for epidemiologic and health services research, and stress the necessity to implement health education, social security and health services policies to favorably influence the solution of these problems.

[The risk factors for home accidents in children. A case-control study]. / Factores de riesgo de accidentes en el hogar en niños. Estudio de casos y controles.

INTRODUCTION: The main objective was to determine the risk factors involved in unintentional injuries in children under 10 years old occurring at home. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A Case Control study was conducted in the emergency room of three pediatrics hospitals in Mexico City. The sample size was 160 cases and 320 controls. RESULTS: Boys were more affected than girls (OR) 1.7, C.I. (95%) 1.2-2.5. The age group more affected was two-three years old (OR) 1.6, C.I.1.1-2.2. When children play outside home (roof, stairs, patio) the risk was OR 2.48, C.I. 1.63-3.76. If mother is not encharged of children care (OR) 2.9, C.I. 1.8-4.8. The age > 40 years old of the person encharged of children care (OR) 2.2, C.I. 1.4-3.5. CONCLUSIONS: The results showed us how necessary is to develop injury prevention programs especially to implement passive measures, with target populations people encharged of children care.