Features of head injury in a developing country--Taiwan (1977-1987).
Certain features of head-injured patients admitted to the Chang Gung Memorial Hospital in Taiwan during the period 1977 to 1987 were reviewed. The most common causes of injury were motorcycle accidents (56.3%) and street accidents with pedestrian injury (29.47%). The age groups with the greatest incidence of injury were aged 16-20 years, 21-25 years, and 25-30 years. The pedestrian group involving the highest incidence of injury was less than 10 years of age. Overall mortality was 17.26%. The injured pedestrian group had the highest mortality (19.1%). Initial clinical assessment was recorded using the Glasgow Coma Scale. Head-injured patients with a GCS less than 8 had a mortality in the injured pedestrian group of 46%, whereas the mortality rate in the motorcycle accident group was 41%. Additional features studied were time of occurrence of injury and pattern of injury. Information gathered from this study would suggest the need to establish a Head Injury Prevention Program in Taiwan. This of course implies major cooperation among the providers of health care delivery, the medical profession, legislators, and the government at all levels.
Lee
S T
ST
Department of Surgery, Chang Gung Medical College & Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.
Lui
T N
TN
Chang
C N
CN
Wang
D J
DJ
Heimburger
R F
RF
Fai
H D
HD
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006259:Craniocerebral Trauma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology