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The epidemiology of head injury in Cantabria

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Abstract

The epidemiology of head injury was studied in Cantabria, Spain, using a methodological design consisting of a cross-selectional analysis of one year of duration and an additional one year follow-up of all the patients included in the initial sample. The 477 cases identified represent a rate of 91/100,000, with males showing a head injury rate 2.7 times higher that than for females. Sixty per cent of all cases involved traffic accidents, falls accounted for 24% and industrial accidents were the cause in 8%. The annual age-adjusted mortality rate was 19.7/100,000. Over 92% of all deaths occurred prior to hospital admission. The presence of alcohol intoxication was evaluated in 211 cases by determining the osmolar gap. It was found that 51% of all the cases examined presented clear evidence of acute alcohol intoxication.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Service of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Yaldecilla - University of Cantabria, Avenida de Yaldecilla s/n 39008, Santander - Cantabria, Spain

    A. Vazquez-Barquero & O. Austin

  2. Social Psychiatry Research Unit of Cantabria, University Hospital Yaldecilla - University of Cantabria, Spain

    J.L. Vazquez-Barquero, L. Gaite & S. Herrera

  3. Service of Neurology, University Hospital Yaldecilla - University of Cantabria, Spain

    J. Pascual

Authors
  1. A. Vazquez-Barquero
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  2. J.L. Vazquez-Barquero
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  3. O. Austin
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  4. J. Pascual
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  5. L. Gaite
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  6. S. Herrera
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Vazquez-Barquero, A., Vazquez-Barquero, J., Austin, O. et al. The epidemiology of head injury in Cantabria. Eur J Epidemiol 8, 832–837 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00145328

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