Hospital Deaths and Adverse Events in Brazil
Author Information
Author(s): Mônica Martins, Claudia Travassos, Walter Mendes, Ana Luiza B Pavão
Primary Institution: Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública Sérgio Arouca, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Hypothesis
The study aims to evaluate the association between deaths and adverse events, adjusted according to patient risk factors.
Conclusion
Adverse events are prevalent and associated with serious harm and even death, highlighting the importance of risk adjustment in studies of adverse events.
Supporting Evidence
- The overall mortality rate was 8.5%, with 34% of deaths related to adverse events.
- Preventable adverse events accounted for 26.6% of the deaths analyzed.
- The unadjusted odds ratio between death and preventable adverse events was 11.43.
Takeaway
This study looked at how hospital deaths are linked to mistakes made during treatment, showing that these mistakes can lead to serious harm or death.
Methodology
The study used a retrospective review of patient charts from three teaching hospitals in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, analyzing data from 1103 hospitalizations in 2003.
Potential Biases
The assessment of preventable adverse events was based on subjective criteria, which may introduce bias.
Limitations
The study was limited to three public teaching hospitals in one state of Brazil, which may affect the generalizability of the results.
Participant Demographics
The mean age of participants was 46.9 years, with 61.3% being women.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.000
Confidence Interval
95% CI: 18.3-32.0 days
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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