BACKGROUND: Analysis of the mechanism and severity of injury over time may permit a more focused planning of acute care and trauma prevention programs. METHODS: A retrospective, population-based study examining severe traumatic injury in a single county was undertaken. Three overlapping data sets were used to form a composite injury data set. RESULTS: There were 55,664 patients included in the study. A total of 40,897 (73.5%) patients survived and 14,767 (26.5%) died. Of those patients who died, 8,910 (60.3%) died in the field and were not transported to a trauma center. There was an increase in the mean age of all trauma victims (3 years) and an increase of 5 years in fatally injured patients. The mean Injury Severity Score decreased from 14.7 to 11.6 (p < 0.01); however, Injury Severity Score for fatal patients remained constant (39.7). The overall injury rate remained unchanged (195 per 10(5)), whereas the fatal injury rate decreased by 22% (45.9 per 10(5)) over the 11-year study period. The leading cause of injury was motor vehicle crash, followed by assault. The leading cause of fatal injury was suicide, followed by homicide. CONCLUSION: A combination of three independent injury data sources generated a composite data set of serious and fatal injury. This regional injury analysis was the most comprehensive overview of injury in our region. Important observations included the following: there has been no change in the overall incidence of severe injury within our county; the incidence of fatal traumatic injury has significantly decreased; the leading causes of nonfatal injury do not correlate with the rank order of fatal injury; intentional injury was the leading cause of injury deaths; and scene fatalities represent a poorly studied group of patients who may benefit from primary prevention and injury control research.
BACKGROUND: Analysis of the mechanism and severity of injury over time may permit a more focused planning of acute care and trauma prevention programs. METHODS: A retrospective, population-based study examining severe traumatic injury in a single county was undertaken. Three overlapping data sets were used to form a composite injury data set. RESULTS: There were 55,664 patients included in the study. A total of 40,897 (73.5%) patients survived and 14,767 (26.5%) died. Of those patients who died, 8,910 (60.3%) died in the field and were not transported to a trauma center. There was an increase in the mean age of all trauma victims (3 years) and an increase of 5 years in fatally injured patients. The mean Injury Severity Score decreased from 14.7 to 11.6 (p < 0.01); however, Injury Severity Score for fatal patients remained constant (39.7). The overall injury rate remained unchanged (195 per 10(5)), whereas the fatal injury rate decreased by 22% (45.9 per 10(5)) over the 11-year study period. The leading cause of injury was motor vehicle crash, followed by assault. The leading cause of fatal injury was suicide, followed by homicide. CONCLUSION: A combination of three independent injury data sources generated a composite data set of serious and fatal injury. This regional injury analysis was the most comprehensive overview of injury in our region. Important observations included the following: there has been no change in the overall incidence of severe injury within our county; the incidence of fatal traumatic injury has significantly decreased; the leading causes of nonfatal injury do not correlate with the rank order of fatal injury; intentional injury was the leading cause of injury deaths; and scene fatalities represent a poorly studied group of patients who may benefit from primary prevention and injury control research.
Authors: Michael W Cripps; Matthew E Kutcher; Aaron Daley; Ryan C McCreery; Molly D Greenberg; Leslie M Cachola; Brittney J Redick; Mary F Nelson; Mitchell Jay Cohen Journal: J Trauma Acute Care Surg Date: 2013-08 Impact factor: 3.313
Authors: Christian Kleber; Moritz T Giesecke; Michael Tsokos; Norbert P Haas; Klaus D Schaser; Poloczek Stefan; Claas T Buschmann Journal: World J Surg Date: 2012-09 Impact factor: 3.352
Authors: Kjetil Søreide; Andreas J Krüger; Anne Line Vårdal; Christian Lycke Ellingsen; Eldar Søreide; Hans Morten Lossius Journal: World J Surg Date: 2007-11 Impact factor: 3.352
Authors: Andrea M A Fraga; Gustavo P Fraga; Christina Stanley; Todd W Costantini; Raul Coimbra Journal: Eur J Epidemiol Date: 2010-03 Impact factor: 8.082
Authors: Kjetil Søreide; Andreas J Krüger; Christian L Ellingsen; Kjell E Tjosevik Journal: Scand J Trauma Resusc Emerg Med Date: 2009-01-22 Impact factor: 2.953