[Emergency care for victims of accidents and violence in Brazil].
OBJECTIVE
To analyze positive results, challenges, limitations, and potential benefits associated with the Brazilian Policy for the Reduction of Morbidity and Mortality due to Accidents and Violence (PNRMAV) with regard to hospital emergency and urgent care services.


METHODS
From 2004-2007, a study was carried out in four Brazilian state capitals and the Federal District. The following areas were evaluated: the availability of standard practices for managing victims of accident or violence; availability and quality of adult and pediatric intensive care beds; patient management training for health care professionals; communication among the health care areas to provide better care to victims; and structure and organization of hospital services. The study included an exploratory stage, fieldwork, analysis, and dissemination of data. Both quantitative (absolute and relative frequencies) and qualitative methods (analysis of interactions between explicit and inferred information from statements and field records) were employed in the analysis.


RESULTS
The study revealed positive results from the implementation of PNRMAV. The following focal areas were identified: (1) the need to invest in the response capacity of primary care services, (2) the importance of strengthening and promoting the emergency and urgent care network, (3) the importance of investing in appropriate equipment and of planning maintenance so that availability is not impacted, and (4) the need to invest in continuing education for health care professionals.


CONCLUSIONS
The partial success obtained with PNRMAV shows that it is possible to include the topic of violence and accidents in the public health agenda and to implement life-promoting strategies at different levels.
Deslandes
Suely Ferreira
SF
Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Instituto Fernandes Figueira, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil. desland@iff.fiocruz.br
Minayo
Maria Cecília de Souza
MC
de Lima
Maria Luiza Carvalho
ML
D000059:Accidents; D000328:Adult; D001938:Brazil; D002648:Child; D004638:Emergency Treatment; D006801:Humans; D014754:Violence; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000628:therapy*