@article{ref1,
title=""Avoidable" deaths in two areas of Sweden - analysis of deaths in hospital after injury",
journal="European journal of surgery, The",
year="1999",
author="Boman, H. and Björnstig, U. and Hedelin, Annika and Eriksson, Antonina",
volume="165",
number="9",
pages="828-833",
abstract="OBJECTIVE: To describe causes of death and other characteristics of &quot;avoidable&quot; deaths in patients admitted to hospital after trauma, and estimate and analyse changes in the avoidable death rate during the years studied. DESIGN: Retrospective analysis of medico legal autopsy material. SETTING: One northern and one western area in Sweden 1988-1996. SUBJECTS: 335 cases who died in hospital after trauma. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Avoidable death, defined as an Injury Severity Score (ISS) of 35 or less and Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) head of 4 or less and cause of death. RESULTS: We found 70 avoidable deaths (21%). Among these, 15 (21%) died of head injuries, 17 (24%) of thoracic, abdominal, or pelvic injuries, and 38 (54%) of medical complications. The number of deaths after trauma decreased considerably from 1988-90 to 1994-96, but the proportion who died in hospital remained almost constant. The proportion of avoidable deaths decreased from 22% to 17%, mainly because the proportion of deaths from medical complications was halved. CONCLUSION: The standard of Swedish in-hospital trauma care has improved, particularly with a reduction in post-traumatic complications. However, there is still room for improvement in the treatment of complications among elderly people.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1102-4151",
doi="10.1080/11024159950189294",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/11024159950189294"
}