title: The epidemiology of head injury in Cantabria.
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.
authors.affiliation: Service of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Valdecilla, University of Cantabria, Spain.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vázquez-Barquero
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Vázquez-Barquero
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Austin
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pascual
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gaite
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Herrera
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000062:Accidents, Occupational / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000453:epidemiology; D000435:Alcoholic Intoxication / Q000453:epidemiology; D006259:Craniocerebral Trauma / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013030:Spain / Q000453:epidemiology