Injuries due to deliberate violence in areas of Argentina. II. Lesions. Copenhagen Study Group

Tendencia de la mortalidad por causas violentas en la población general y entre los adolescentes y jóvenes de la región de las américas

Se analiza la tendencia de la mortalidad por causas externas y grupo de causas en 15 países, durante el período de 1979 a 1990. Se demuestra que en nueve países (Argentina, Canadá, Costa Rica, Chile, EE.UU. de Norteamérica, México, Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago y Venezuela) la tendencia de la mortalidad es descendiente en todos los grupos de edad estudiados y que en tres más, sea para la población general (Uruguay), sea para el grupo de 10 a 24 años (Panamá y Puerto Rico), se observa tambien una tendencia decreciente. Solo tres países (Brasil, Colombia y Cuba) muestran tendencias francamente crecientes de su mortalidad en todos los grupos de edad, mientras en otros dos (Panamá y Puerto Rico), tales movimientos se aprecian en la población en general y en uno (Uruguay), afectan solo al grupo de 10 a 24 años de edad. La mortalidad por causas externas segun grupo de edad se concentra frecuentemente en el grupo de los adolescentes y jóvenes y las tendencias de la mortalidad por sexo, aunque predomine en el sexo masculino, las diferencias tienden a disminuir. Segun la magnitud de la mortalidad por causas externas se configuran tres grupos de países, de acuerdo a las tasas alcanzadas por este indicador: países de elevada mortalidad (Colombia, Cuba, Chile, México y Suriname); países de nivel intermedio (Brasil, Canadá, EE.UU. de Norteamérica, Puerto Rico y Venezuela); y países de moderada mortalidad (Argentina, Costa Rica, Panamá, Trinidad & Tobago y Uruguay). En relación a los grupos de causas externas resulta evidente que, a pesar de sus tendencias decrecientes, la mortalidad por accidentes de tráfico continúa siendo un grave problema en Brasil, Canadá, EE.UU. y Venezuela. La mortalidad por suicidio sigue siendo motivo de preocupación en Canadá, EE.UU., Suriname, Trinidad & Tobago, Argentina y Uruguay. En relación a la mortalidad por homicidio, ésta es particularmente alarmante en Brasil, Colombia, México, Panamá, Puerto Rico y Venezuela, especialmente por sus expresiones entre los adolescentes y jóvenes. En relación al comportamiento global de los tres grupos de causas externas (accidentes de tráfico, suicidio y homicidio) se observa claramente que el único que muestra tendencias inequívocas al descenso en la mayoría de los países de la Región de las Américas es el de los accidentes de tráfico, mientras que la mortalidad provocada por homicidio y suicidio en algunos tienden al aumento, afectando de manera muy preocupante a los adolescentes y jóvenes y, en particular, al grupo de 15 a 19 años de edad. El trabajo tambien propone cual debería ser el papel del sector salud en la prevención de la mortalidad debida a causas violentas.

Injuries due to deliberate violence in Chile

An analysis was made over a period of 6 months of the incidents involving deliberate violence as registered in 'Vicaria', the clinic for out-patients within the Cathedral of Santiago de Chile. A total of 236 victims of deliberate violence were observed. Men aged 15-24 years were found to be victims of deliberate violence most frequently. 'Under education' was the most frequently registered occupation for both sexes, and a large group of male victims were 'Unemployed'. 82% of the victims were men and 14% women, 1.5% were boys and 1.5% girls less than or equal to 14 years of age. None of the victims were alcohol intoxicated when arriving in the clinic. The incidents took place in streets for 81% of the male victims and 79% of the female victims, and in the majority of the cases the aggressor(s) was one (or several) police officer(s). Six percent of the female victims had been injured at home. There was no reporting of the aggressor being a relative or acquaintance. The most frequent type of violence was blunt violence from baton(s) (44%), while blunt violence without the use of instruments was reported less frequently (33%). The use of firearms was registered in 18% of the cases, and of sharp instruments, combustion, electro-shock and chain in 1.4%, 1.4%, 1.1% and 0.4% of the cases respectively. A total of 517 primary and secondary diagnoses were applied to the patients. Most of the victims (99%) had moderate or less serious lesions according to the Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) (score less than or equal to 2). Twenty-four percent of the victims had more than 4 lesions, and 7% more than 10 lesions. The head/neck region and the trunk were affected with equal frequency, the frequency of injuries of the head/neck region being comparable with that observed among torture victims and in contrast to the pronounced predominance of injuries of the head/neck region observed in a Danish emergency ward study of deliberate violence.

Injuries due to deliberate violence in areas of Argentina. I. The extent of violence. Copenhagen Study Group

As part of a transcultural investigation of violent behaviour in Argentina and Denmark an analysis was made of the incidents involving deliberate violence as registered in the emergency wards of Hospital Fernandez and Hospital Pinero in Capital Federal Buenos Aires over a period of 13 and 17 months, respectively. In the two emergency wards a total of 281 victims of deliberate violence were observed corresponding to a rate of approximately 0.2/1000 per year in a mainly middle income area of the metropolis Buenos Aires, the catchment region of Hospital Fernandez, and 0.6/1000 per year in a mainly low income area of Buenos Aires, the catchment region of Hospital Pinero. Men aged 20-24 years and 40-49 years were found to be the most frequent victims of deliberate violence, 13% and 11%, respectively. Elderly women greater than or equal to 60 years of age were rarely found to be victims of deliberate violence (2%). Skilled and unskilled male workers were over-represented as victims of violence. Sixty-four percent of the victims were men and 29% women, 6% were boys and 0.7% girls less than or equal to 14 years of age. Twenty-one percent of the male victims and 5% of the female victims were alcohol intoxicated when arriving in the emergency ward. The incidents took place in restaurants or in the vicinity of restaurants for only 7% of the male victims, while 55% of male victims and 34% of female victims had been injured in the street, most often by non-acquainted men. Fifty-eight percent of the female victims had been subject to deliberate violence at home, in the majority of the cases beaten by their spouse. Twelve percent of the male victims and 8% of the female victims were estimated to be under the influence of drugs. The incidence of deliberate violence seems to be lower in Argentina than in Denmark. However, serious lesions appear to be considerably more frequent in male Argentinian victims compared to male Danish victims, maybe because the practice of seeking medical assistance is different in the two countries. The pattern of deliberate violence appears to be associated with socio-economic and cultural factors. Influence of alcohol does not appear to play a role that is comparable to the situation observed in Denmark. A considerably larger percentage of victims in Argentina than in Denmark had been injured in the street.