title: [Epidemiologic study of traffic accidents occurring among the inhabitants of Algeria].
abstract: An observation area was created in Algiers to improve both epidemiological knowledge of traffic accidents and the national information system. Carried out cooperatively by the police and the hospitals of the area, our cohort study revealed a high annual incidence (700 per 100,000) of traffic accidents among residents of Algiers. Children between 5 and 9, adolescents, young adults and people over 60 are the most vulnerable. Older persons and children are for the most part pedestrians. Fractures of lower limbs are relatively numerous and account for 10% of all registered injuries. Moreover, 92.1% of injuries, corresponding to the highest AIS in each part of the body affected, are either minor or moderate. The severity of injuries seems to be independent of age, sex and category (pedestrians, motorcyclists, etc.) of the road user. The ISS, which is correlated to the duration of hospital stay, gives much the same results. Only by linking the data from the different information sources can one perceive the various facets of the problem in an overall manner. However, even before accumulating highly refined data certain actions are manifestly urgent. One of them is an improved organization of traumatology in order to reduce lethality of injuries.
authors.affiliation: Institut National de Santé Publique, Division d'Epidémiologie, Algérie.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bezzaoucha
mesh_terms: D000007:Abdominal Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology; D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000462:Algeria; D001134:Arm Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006259:Craniocerebral Trauma / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007869:Leg Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D012737:Sex Factors; D013124:Spinal Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology; D013898:Thoracic Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology
vernacular_title: Etude épidémiologique d'accidents de la route survenus chez des habitants d'Alger.