[Violence and adolescence. A perspective from and Emergency Department].
OBJECTIVE
The acts of violence between adolescents are becoming increasingly more common, generating problems of a diverse nature. The knowledge of the circumstances that surround this violence is important to implement measures to decrease their incidence. The aim of this study was to describe the epidemiology of violent assault in teenagers from the perspective of an Emergency Department.


METHODS
Retrospective analysis of information recorded on adolescent victims of assault, who attended our Emergency Department over a 1 year period (2006), was performed.


RESULTS
Of the 105 patients included, the mean age of the assault victims was 15.9 (SD: 1.4) years. Of those, 73.3 % were male. They were seen at holidays (58.1 %) and predominantly between the hours of 8 pm and 4 am (55.2 %). Forty-nine (46.7 %) of the events were classified as fights, 44 (41.9 %) as assaults, 7 (6.7 %) as physical abuse and 5 (4.8 %) as sexual abuse. Overall, 20 (19 %) patients reported that there was a weapon at the scene: in 13.3 % a blunt object and in 5.7 % a knife/piercing object. Bruises or haematomas were present in 93.3 % of patients; lacerations in 19 % and fractures in 11.4 %. Sixty-two (59 %) patients needed an X-ray, 10 (9.5 %) a urineanalysis and 7 (6.7 %) a blood test. Seven (6.7 %) patients were hospitalised and 6 (5.7 %) were evaluated by Social Work.


CONCLUSIONS
The knowledge of the epidemiology of this problem and awareness by the professionals involved in handling this, must promote the coordinated creation of protocols and actions that can decrease its impact among adolescents, and in turn, society.
Trenchs Sainz de la Maza
V
V
Sección de Urgencias. Servicio de Pediatría. Hospital Universitario Sant Joan de Déu. Barcelona. España.
Martínez Planas
A
A
Curcoy Barcenilla
A I
AI
Luaces Cubells
C
C
Pou Fernández
J
J