DEMOGRAPHIC AND LEGAL MEDICAL ASPECTS OF DEATH BY WORK ACCIDENT IN CURITIBA AND METROPOLITAN REGION IN THE YEAR 2019 (Atena Editora)

Abstract

Introduction: Deaths caused by work accidents are a serious public health problem. It is known that statistics referring to general and specific indicators related to work allow raising causal hypotheses of association with existing risk conditions and their occurrence serves to evaluate the measures adopted. Objectives: To analyze fatalities due to accidents at work in Curitiba and in the metropolitan region of 2019, in order to correlate demographic and medico-legal aspects. Materials and methods: An observational and cross-sectional study was carried out to analyze the profile of deaths from work accidents (typical or commuting) in Curitiba/PR and Metropolitan Region in 2019. Data were obtained from autopsy reports, in which the characterization of deaths was based on information from medical records of the hospital of origin or records of professionals from the Legal Medical Institute (IML) who were at the scene of the event to collect the body, as well as toxicological tests carried out by the IML of Curitiba/PR. Results and discussion: There were 15 deaths from work accidents. 86.7% were male and 13.3% were female, aged between 13 and 59 years. 73.3% were single, 20% were married and 6.66% were divorced. As for the profession, bricklayers were 26.6%, 13.3% and self-employed, waiter, elderly caregiver and security, 6.66% each. 42% of the sample had no profession data available in the report. All deaths were due to an occupational accident, with 66.6% of the cases through blunt action, 13.3% through blunt action, 13.3% through electrical energy and 6.66% through biochemical means. The most prevalent medical cause of death was traumatic brain injury, accounting for 46.6% of the total, followed by electropletion, with 13.3%, and septicemia, acute myocardial infarction, acute hemorrhage, neck injury, chest injuries and multiple trauma, with 6.66% each. Toxicological tests showed the alcohol dosage, in which 53.3% were negative, 20% had no data and 26.6% were detected in the following dosages: 7.1; 10.6; 14.2; 23.4 dg/L. In only 1 patient, 6.66%, dipyrone was detected. Conclusion: This analysis had as most of the deaths due to accidents at work, young men, single and with occupations in civil construction, similar to what was found in the literature. Regarding the cause of death, almost half, 46.6%, of the total were due to traumatic brain injury. Regarding toxicology, 53.3% of the individuals had a negative test and 26.6% worked even after ingesting ethyl alcohol. Despite regulatory standards, Brazil still has records of fatal accidents at work. In this context, it is necessary to expand inspection and education in health and accident prevention, in order to stop unfavorable outcomes that have consequences that affect not only the employee and employer, but also society.