[Study on injuries from emergency departments in 25 general hospitals].
OBJECTIVE
This study aimed to study the characteristics of injuries in the Emergency Departments.


METHODS
Acute injuries of the Emergency Department attendants from Jury 1, 2001 to June 30, 2002 were selected.


RESULTS
25,019 cases were sampled. Results showed that injured persons accounted for 17.46% of all emergent cases attending the above hospitals. 81.67% of the injuries were accidental. Sex ratio was 2.0. Young people aged 15-34 years accounted for 50.63% of all the injuries. The leading cause was mechanical injury, followed by traffic accidents and accidental falls. The leading occupation would include workers, followed by farmers and students. The fatality rate was 5.12 per thousand. The number of deaths for young people accounted for 79.69% of all deaths. The number of deaths for motor vehicle accidents took the first place and accounted for 46.88%. The characteristics due to mechanical injury and 11,151 cases of acute poisoning were analyzed.


CONCLUSIONS
To develop a surveillance post on injuries in the Emergency Departments of general hospitals are not only necessary, urgent but feasible.
Chen
Shu-yang
SY
National Institute of Occupational Health and Poison Control, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing 100050, China.
Zhou
Jing
J
Li
Zhong-jie
ZJ
Wu
Yi-qun
YQ
D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000062:Accidents, Occupational / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004632:Emergency Medical Services; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006769:Hospitals, General / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012737:Sex Factors; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000209:etiology*