TETANUS IN THE GERIATRIC POPULATION: IS THIS A COLLECTIVE HEALTH PROBLEM?

Authors

  • Lorita Marlena Freitag Pagliuca Universidade Federal do Ceará
  • Aline R. Feitoza Universidade Federal do Ceará
  • Alexsandra R. Feijão Universidade Federal do Ceará

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1590/S0104-11692001000600012

Keywords:

tetanus, population, elderly

Abstract

Tetanus is an infectious non-contagious disease caused by the bacillus Clostridium tetani, which penetrates in the organism through wounds. Psychomotor dysfunction facilitates accidents among elderly people and vaccinal coverage is low in this population, thus contributing to high lethality. This study aimed at reflecting on the situation faced by elderly people in relation to tetanus in the perspective of Collective Health. It is a Case Study conducted with two elderly males who had accidental tetanus and were hospitalized in a hospital in the municipality of Fortaleza. Data collection took place from March to April, 1998. The analysis showed the absence of vaccinal coverage as well as of the implementation of emergency prophylaxis. The two patients' conditions developed to death, which confirmed the high mortality due to tetanus in this age group. The critical reflection pointed out the urgency of a collective health approach.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Downloads

Published

2001-11-01

Issue

Vol. 9 No. 6 (2001)

Section

Original Articles

License

RLAE’s authorship concept is based on the substantial contribution by each of the individuals listed as authors, mainly in terms of conceiving and planning the research project, collecting or analyzing and interpreting data, writing and critical review. Indication of authors’ names under the article title is limited to six. If more, authors are listed on the online submission form under Acknowledgements. The possibility of including more than six authors will only be examined on multicenter studies, considering the explanations presented by the authors.
Including names of authors whose contribution does not fit into the above criteria cannot be justified. Those names can be included in the Acknowledgements section.
 Authors are fully responsible for the concepts disseminated in their manuscripts, which do not necessarily reflect the editors’ and editorial board’s opinion.

 

How to Cite

Pagliuca, L. M. F., Feitoza, A. R., & Feijão, A. R. (2001). TETANUS IN THE GERIATRIC POPULATION: IS THIS A COLLECTIVE HEALTH PROBLEM?. Revista Latino-Americana De Enfermagem, 9(6), 69-75. https://doi.org/10.1590/S0104-11692001000600012