This study aims to put into operation the procedure of epidemiological surveillance of sentinel events among young people admitted to hospital with diagnoses of acute intoxication or secondary effects resulting from drug abuse. This retrospective, descriptive, exploratory study was conducted in the city of Maringá, Paraná, Brazil with young people who were admitted as inpatients and who were registered in the Center for Intoxication Control (Centro de Controle de Intoxicações) between February and July of 2006. The data sources used were the toxicology case files, hospital records, and an itinerary for home interviews. The analysis was made by studying multiple cases, using the model of investigating sentinel events. Ten cases were investigated. Risk factors in several areas and the interface among inadequate and deficient education, public safety, social attendance, economic, and health care policies seems to determine the occurrence of drug use in these investigated cases.
Sentinel surveillance; Adolescent; Street drugs