title: Admissions for injury at a rural hospital in Ghana: implications for prevention in the developing world.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Strategies for injury prevention have been extensively studied in developed nations but not in the developing world. This study sought to determine which mechanisms of injury were common in a rural developing area and which were important contributors to mortality and disability.
  
  
  METHODS
  All 614 patients admitted for injuries to a rural African hospital between 1987 and 1991 were analyzed retrospectively for mechanism of injury and outcome, as assessed by mortality and long-term functional status.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The leading mechanisms of injury were transport related (29%) and burns (16%). Burns accounted for 61% of injuries in children under 5 years. Mortality was 7.3% in the series, with 24% of deaths owing to transport injuries. Disability developed in 103 (22%) of the 462 survivors available for assessment, with most disability resulting from transport injuries (26% of all disabilities), burns (13%), and agricultural injuries (14%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Among injured patients who presented for treatment in this rural developing area, the largest burden of mortality and disability was from burns and transport-related injuries. Population-based studies are needed to substantiate whether these should be priorities for injury prevention efforts.
authors.affiliation: Holy Family Hospital, Berekum, Ghana.
authors.forename: C N
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Mock
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Adzotor
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Denno
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Conklin
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rivara
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003906:Developing Countries / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005869:Ghana / Q000453:epidemiology; D006780:Hospitals, Rural / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012424:Rural Population / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D017741:Survivors / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology