OBJECTIVE: To analyze the factors associated to risks in hospital admissions of the population of traffic accident victims in the city of Maringa, PR, in 2000. METHOD: The cohort comprised the victims registered by the Integrated Trauma Care Emergency Services (SIATE) or in Police Records (BO). We linked the databases generated by SIATE, BO, Hospital Admission Authorizations (AIH-SUS), and Hospital Admission Communications (CIH). Several univariate analyses and Cox's multiple regression analyses were performed to identify risk factors for hospital admissions among the variables related to victims, accidents and vehicle drivers. RESULTS: 3,468 victims in 2,725 accidents were identified. The average hospital admission risk was 19.4/100 victims (673 hospital admissions). The major categories for hospital admissions identified by the multiple regression analysis were: pedestrians, bikers, and motorcyclists; victims over 50 years of age; individuals involved in accidents with heavy load trucks or buses; accidents taking place at dawn and in the afternoon, in some areas of the city; and the vehicle driver living in the city of Maringá. CONCLUSION: We concluded that traffic accident reduction programs should take into consideration the most vulnerable subgroups that are subject to serious accidents. We also concluded that multiple risk determination points toward the need for joint actions by the various government sectors and segments of society in these programs.
Traffic accidents; Risk factor; Hospital admission
