[Importance, distribution and main causes of accidents in 1980 in two rural health centers in Ivory Coast. Comparative study (author's transl)].

Everywhere, accidents have got some noteworthy consequential effects on socio-economical growth. In many developing countries, with agricultural economic background and still limited in their preventive and educational health action, the damage is able to impair their development, as much as malnutrition, infections and parasitic diseases. Carried out according to a precise methodology within a programme of research entitled: "Recueil de statistiques sanitaires et choix d'indicateurs de santé en Côte-d'Ivoire", this present study shows that most of usual accidents to children are caused by active or passive shocks, and adults injuries are due to handling sharp and penetrating tools. Burns and injuries caused by animals are noticeably numerous. Concerning road accidents, their incidence rate increases rapidly, even in traditional rural areas. The high frequency of such accidents burden seriously the weak credits budgeted to health formations of rural or sub-urban districts in developing countries. This only observation should incite leaders in putting in this nosologic entity among the significant sanitary priorities of their respective countries. This study enlightens the fact that the main problems of public health must benefit from a well defined epidemiological approach, as accidents do, in order to determine the priority rank and to justify the action to be taken. So, the planners would be able to explore ways and means which could solve at minimum cost the given problems. Primary health cases seem to be particularly adapted to this.