Bicycle Related Injuries in Adults and Children in the Central Anatolian Region: Analysis of 4 Years

Abstract

Objective: We aimed to investigate and compare the features of child and adult injuries due to bicycle accidents admitted to our emergency department. Material and Methods:The study was carried out retrospectively by searching the files of patients admitted to the emergency department due to bicycle accidents in the emergency department and archive records between the dates of January 2005-December 2008. The patients were divided into two groups as adults and children. Age and sex of the patients, season or month of injuries, place and mechanism of injury, site of the injury, diagnosis and treatment modalities, discharge and hospitalization rates were evaluated. Student t test was used for two group comparison. Results: A total of 150 patients were included in the study. 79% of the patients were in the child age group, 21% were adults. It was determined that the number of accidents increased especially in the summer months. 71.4% of accidents concerning children and all adult accidents occurred in the streets. Falling off the bicycle was the most common cause of injury in children (91%) and adults (90%). The head and neck region was the most common body site subjected to injury in both children (32%) and adults (40%). There was a significant difference between the two groups with respect to injury severity. Conclusion: Most of the injuries due to bicycle accidents in children happen, in the streets, in summer months and during school vacations. Although not statistically significant, it was seen that adult injuries were more serious. (JAEM 2012; 11: 35-40) Özet Amaç: Çalışmamızda bisiklet kazalarına bağlı yaralanmalarla acil servisimize başvuran çocuk ve erişkin hastaların yaralanma özelliklerinin araştırılması ve karşılaştırılması amaçlanmıştır. Gereç ve Yöntemler: Çalışma Ocak 2005-Aralık 2008 tarihleri arasında acil servise bisiklet kazası ile gelen olguların dosyalarına acil servis ve arşiv kayıtlarından ulaşılarak geriye dönük olarak gerçekleştirildi. Hastalar erişkin ve çocuk yaş grubu olmak üzere iki gruba ayrıldı. Hastaların yaş, cinsiyet, kazaların oluştuğu aylar, yaralanmanın oluştuğu mekan, yaralanma mekanizması, yaralanan vücut bölgeleri, tanı ve tedaviler, taburculuk ve yatış oranları incelendi. İki grubun karşılaştırılmasında Student t testi kullanıldı. Bulgular: Toplam olgu sayısı 150 bulundu. Olguların %79'unu çocuk, %21'ini erişkin yaş grubu oluşturdu. Kazaların sayısının özellikle yaz aylarında arttığı tespit edildi. Çocuklarda oluşan kazaların %71.4'ü erişkinlerin ise tamamı cadde ve sokakta meydana gelmiştir. Çocuklarda (%91) ve erişkinlerde (%90) bisikletten düşme en fazla görülen yaralanma mekanizmasıydı. Baş-boyun bölgesi çocuklarda %32, erişkinlerde ise %40 ile en fazla yaralanmaya maruz kalan vücut bölgesi tespit edildi. Çocuk olguların %78'i, erişkinlerin ise %84'ü acil serviste takip ve tedavi sonrası taburcu edildi. Yaralanma şiddeti açısından iki grup arasında anlamlı fark mevcuttu. Sonuç: Bisiklet kazalarına bağlı yaralanmaların çoğu cadde-sokaklarda, okulun tatil olduğu yaz ayları...

Factors associated with bicycle-helmet use among 8–16 years aged Turkish children: a questionnaire survey

“…However, most of the big cities in Turkey are faced with growing traffic congestion and air pollution. In recent years, increasing the use of bicycling as a principal mode of transportation for reducing traffic congestion and air pollution and enhancing physical fitness has been discussed (Motorcycle Industry Association, 2010; Ozkan et al, 2012).…”

“…In Turkey, more research has been on characteristics of bicycle-related and motorcycle-related traffic injuries than factors that affect helmet use (Guzel et al, 2006;Kocak, Ucar, Bayır, & Ertekin, 2010;Ozkan et al, 2012). Studies conducted in northwest (Guzel et al, 2006) and middle (Ozkan et al, 2012) Turkey that investigated injuries due to bicycle accidents admitted to hospital emergency departments showed that a great majority of injured patients were children and predominantly male. In two studies (Guzel et al, 2006;Kocak et al, 2010), none of those injured in bicycle crashes had a history of helmet use.…”

“…While data are limited, it is generally believed that bike crashes that do not involve a motor vehicle or serious injury are often not reported in traffic statistics. In a local study, which reviewed the records of bicycle injuries in the emergency department of a Turkish university hospital between 2005 and 2008 (Ozkan et al, 2012), most injuries (91% in children and 90% in adults) resulted from falling from the bicycle, not being struck by other vehicles. A Turkish national traffic safety report (Traffic Safety Project, 2001) indicated that the level of helmet use among motorcyclists was very low and almost no one wears a bicycle helmet.…”

Türkiye'de Bisiklet Sporcularının Dental Travma Bilgi Düzeylerinin Değerlendirilmesi

“…23 Similarly, the highest rates of bicycle-related trauma admitted to pediatric emergency services in Turkey were seen in children aged 6-10 years. 24,25 Contributing to this issue, the prevalence reported in studies of bicycle-related dental trauma among individuals under the age of 18 was between 13% and 19.2%. [26][27][28] 25% of the traumatized cyclists in the current study had injuries to their jaw and facial bones.…”

Touristic bicycle accidents in Princess islands-A Retrospective Cohort Study

“…In the study performed by Heng et al, [2] the mortality rate was 1.9% (3/160) and the cause of mortality was related to head trauma. In the study performed by Özkan et al, [25] the injuries arising from bicycle accidents were analyzed and the cause of mortality was head trauma. In the study of Baschera et al, [18] the relationship between the ones wearing helmets and the ones who did not during bicycle and e-bicycle accidents were analyzed and the mortality rate in a bicycle accident was 1.2% (n=6/484) and the cause of mortality was intracranial hemorrhage.…”