[An information system for injuries from external causes (SILEX): a successful project in El Salvador].
This article examines the stages in developing an information system for injuries from external causes (Sistema de Información de Lesiones de Causa Externa-SILEX), as well as its limitations and achievements. SILEX is a Web-based application for collection, quality control, presentation, and analysis of data available from the hospital system for surveillance of injuries from external causes created by Ministry of Health of El Salvador with data from the hospital emergency services. This system maintains comprehensive information on the injured person-type of injury, intention, injury site, activity being performed at the time of injury, risk factors, etc.-in the form of tables, graphs, and maps, which streamlines the development of intervention plans and prevention initiatives for these types of injuries in El Salvador. This experience is an example of what can be done to close the information gap on injuries by external causes in the Region of the Americas.
Salinas
Oscar
O
Organización Panamericana de la Salud, San Salvador, El Salvador. salinaso@paho.org
de Cosío
Gerardo
G
Clavel-Arcas
Carme
C
Montoya
Jeannette
J
Serpas
Mario
M
Morán de García
Silvia
S
Concha-Eastman
Alberto
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004544:El Salvador; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007256:Information Systems; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011996:Records; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology*; D055815:Young Adult