Study of the characteristics and burden of pediatric trauma in low resource settings.

Abstract

Objectives: Purpose of the study is to identify the characteristics and burden of pediatric trauma in a hospital with limited resources and to compare the results with published literature and to formulate the effective injury prevention strategies. Study Design: Prospective, Descriptive, Cross-sectional study. Setting: Department of Pediatric Surgery, DHQ Teaching Hospital Sahiwal. Period: January 2019 to December 2019. Material & Methods: A total of 871 patients aged 12 years and below with a history of trauma were included. The patients were categorized into four age groups, 0-2 years, 3-5 years, 6-8 years, and 9-12 years. Data collected included, age, gender, area (rural/urban), type of injury, mechanism of injury, regional pattern of injury, any intervention required and final outcome. The data were compared in different age groups and both sexes. Results: Out of total 2609 admissions, 871(33.38%) patients were of trauma and burn. 699(80.3%) trauma patients and 172(19.7%) burn patients. The males were 595(67.9%) and females comprised 276(32.1%). Age ranged from 05 days to 12 years (mean5.07years). By age groups, distribution of patients was, 0-2years 201(23.1%), 3-5years 340(39.0%), 6-8years 213(24.5%), and 9-12years 117(13.4%). Blunt trauma was most common type of injury 688(95.56%) and penetrating trauma was 31(4.43%). Most common mechanisms of injury were, vehicle related incidents 380(54.4%) and fall 238(34.0%). The majority of injuries 432(61.8%), were seen in head, neck and face region. Scald was most common type of burn and seen in 125(14.4%) patients. Conclusion: This study clearly shows that pediatric injuries and burn contribute a substantial proportion of all pediatric surgical admissions. Pediatric trauma including burn is a significant burden on health care system. Vehicle related incidents, fall injuries and scald burns are most common type of injuries.

Total Number of Rtas that were Brought to the Gujranwala Teaching Hospital's Trauma Center, along with their Results

“…A study revealed that 14.4% of all deaths in individuals aged 15 and older were due to external causes, with RTIs accounting for almost one-third of these (6,7). A 29% of unintentional injury deaths were attributed to RTIs in 2005, with 8085 road traffic accidents and 1622 fatalities recorded in 2015 alone (8,9). In the United States, trauma is a leading cause of death, particularly in the age group of 1 to 44 years, and is responsible for 20% of all deaths (10,11).…”