Cases of fatal accidents and violence among children, adolescents and young people: perception of the family and associated factors/Casos fatais de acidentes e violencias entre criancas, adolescentes e jovens: percepcao da familia e fatores associados

Hundreds of children and young people die from fatal accidents or violence every year and others suffer the consequences of non-lethal lesions. Knowing the associated factors is essential for moving forward in the control of these events. The study analysed the families' perception and factors associated with deaths due to external causes of children, adolescents and young people. Cross-sectional study from deaths from accidents and violence in the age group of 0 to 24 years in the city of Cuiaba- State of Mato Grosso, followed by a domestic survey with the families. The families could not tell whether the accident/violence was a foreseeable event and do not believe that habits/lifestyle have favoured the occurrence. Intentional deaths showed a greater association with factors: maternity/paternity in adolescence, role overload of the mother, consumption of alcohol/drugs, family conflicts and prior deaths from external cause. Feelings of appreciation (study, housing, work, and whether the victim's pregnancy has been desired) were positive in a higher proportion among cases at which the victims died in an accident. The families had easy access to health care services; however, it was difficult to access the network of social and religious support. Associated factors differ according to the intentionality of the event. Keywords: external causes, risk factors, mortality. Anualmente, milhares de criancas e jovens morrem anualmente de acidente ou violencia e milhoes sofrem as consequencias de lesoes nao fatais. Conhecer os fatores associados e essencial para que se avance no controle desses eventos. O estudo analisou a percepcao das familias e os fatores associados com os obitos por causas externas de criancas, adolescentes e jovens. Estudo transversal a partir dos obitos por acidente e violencia, de 0 a 24 anos de idade, em Cuiaba-Mato Grosso, seguida de inquerito domiciliar com as familias. As familias nao souberam responder se o acidente/violencia constituiu-se evento previsivel e nao acreditam que os habitos/estilo de vida favorecem a ocorrencia destes. As mortes intencionais apresentaram maior associacao com os fatores: maternidade e paternidade na adolescencia, sobrecarga de papeis da mae, consumo de alcool/drogas, conflitos familiares e mortes anteriores por causa externa. Os sentimentos de valorizacao (estudo, moradia, trabalho e se a gravidez da vitima foi desejada) foram afirmativos com maior proporcao entre as vitimas que faleceram por acidente. As fa