Resumen

RODRIGUEZ SALVA, Armando  y  TERRY BERRO, Blanca. Emergency medical care and fatal injuries resulting from the earthquake in Armenia, Colombia. Rev Cubana Hig Epidemiol [online]. 2005, vol.43, n.1. ISSN 0253-1751.

A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted to characterize morbimortality resulting from the earthquake occurred in the Colombian coffee axis, according to the type of injuries, frequency, anatomical site and demographic variables. All the cases attended at the health insitutions after the disaster entered into the study. The information was obtained from the systems of continual statistics of the Sectional Health Institute of Quindio that were used to classify the injuries. 858 persons died, with a rate of 156 per 100 000 inhabitants. The main causes were: polytraumatism, severe cranioencephalic traumatism, crushing and accidental mechanical suffocation. 5 237 visits were registered, in which it was observed a predominance of superficial traumatisms, lacerations, wounds, traumatisms of the blood vessels and fractures of the limbs. These indicators are useful to achieve a more rational approach for the attention, prevention and aid in case of a catastrophe in regions with similar characteristics.

Palabras clave : Injuries; morbidity; mortality; natural disasters; earthquakes.