Profile of services provided by an accident and emergency care department in connection with road traffic injuries involving children, 2003-2005.
OBJECTIVE
To study profile of services provided by an accident and emergency care department (AECD) in connection with road traffic injuries involving children in "St. Maria" University Paediatrics Hospital, Iaşi, Romania.


METHODS
The survey represents a descriptive analysis of 2003-2005 data regarding the 538 injured children aged 0-18 years and allowed to design the request pattern based on: a) comparison between observed case distribution by weekday, month and season and hypothetical equal distribution using chi2 test; b) most common features of cases.


RESULTS
Injuries ranged from 4.3% in March to 12.3% in August, being significantly higher in summer. Children aged 5-14 years represented 65.6%. The male : female and urban : rural ratios were 1.3 : 1 and 1.5 : 1, respectively. Two in three cases were found to suffer head injury, and one in two children suffered abdomen/pelvis contusions.


CONCLUSIONS
More road traffic injuries attended the AECD during summer. The common case was male gender aged 5-14 years, urban area, with head injury and abdomen/pelvis contusions.
Duma
Olga Odetta
OO
Public Health Department, School of Medicine, Gr.T. Popa University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Iasi, Romania. odettaduma@yahoo.com
D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000401:mortality / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D002648:Child; D046688:Child Mortality; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006776:Hospitals, Pediatric / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006785:Hospitals, University / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D012383:Romania / Q000453:epidemiology; D012621:Seasons; D012737:Sex Factors; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality* / Q000628:therapy*