Resumen

PAULSEN SANDI, Kurt  y  MEJIA SALAS, Hector. Risk factors for accidents in children. Hospital del Niño "Dr. Ovidio Aliaga Uria". Rev. bol. ped. [online]. 2003, vol.42, n.2, pp.86-92. ISSN 1024-0675.

Objectives: to identify risk factors of accidents in children treated at the Hospital del Niño Ovidio Aliaga Uría in La Paz, Bolivia. Design: case and control incidents Place: Hospital del Niño Ovidio Aliaga Uría, a third-level Pediatric Hospital. Participants: we studied 200 accident patients and 400 control patients. Measurements: we evaluated risk factors at home, children safety, person responsible for the children at the time of the accident, place and circumstances of the accident. Results: the average age was 5,4 years; products within reach of children were: boiling water, oil OR 15,04, volatile products OR 14,19, sharp objects OR7,82, firecrackers OR5,26, plastic bags OR 3,30, cosmetics OR2,06, house cleaner products OR1,20, Medicines OR 1,12. Previous accidents in the last 6 months OR 4,62. Mother working outside the home OR 2, 04 and absence of protection for stairs and patios OR 1.65. Conclusions: the main risk factors for accidents in children were: mother working outside the home, dangerous products within reach of children, absence of safety devices. Most of the risk factors are preventable through education, safety campaigns especially by pediatricians or family practitioners.

Palabras clave : accidents; risk factors; infantile morbidity and/or mortality.