title: [Prehospital emergency care injuries from external causes in a region of Venezuela].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Worldwide, approximately 3 500 000 people die every year as a result of injuries from external causes, in Venezuela these arte the third leading cause of overall morbidity. Nevertheless, in the country there are no records of the defining aspects of prehospital emergency care as a tool to address this socio-health problem, the aim of this investigation.
  
  
  METHODS
  A descriptive, transversal, field study based on the information recorded daily for a year paramedics was performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total 1493 injured by external causes were reported, with a mean age of 29.5 ± 12 years, 84.5% male. Injuries mostly less-moderate (69.4%) were due to severe land transport accidents (70.9%) occurred during the day (75.9%), between monday and friday (72.9%), attended in 20 minutes or less, and transferred in 97.3% of cases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The economically productive young men in areas with higher population density and urbanism are mostly affected by injuries from external causes. In both genres land transport accidents are the most common causes of injury with lower-moderate severity. The care that paramedics provide can be considered adequate.
authors.affiliation: Instituto Autónomo Municipal Cuerpos de Bomberos de Valencia, Estado Carabobo, Venezuela. bastidasprotozoo@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Herrera
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bastidas
authors.forename: Everilda
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Arteaga
authors.forename: Gilberto
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bastidas
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004632:Emergency Medical Services; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015599:Trauma Severity Indices; D014687:Venezuela / Q000453:epidemiology; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Emergency treatment; First aid; Patient care; Venezuela