title: Trends in Prevalent Injuries among Iranian Pilgrims in Hajj.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Annually millions of Muslims depart to Saudi Arabia for performing a religious pilgrimage called "Hajj". In this ceremony, pilgrims face numerous health hazards and injuries such as pressing in overcrowding, sliding, burning, falling down, traffic accidents etc. The main purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of injuries in Hajj period across 2004 to 2008.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study was conducted on 253808 Iranian pilgrims on five consecutive years of Hajj ceremonies, from 2004 to 2008. We used a report sheet with 13 types of injuries and 13 mechanisms of these injuries. SPSS V13.5 soft ware was used for analyzing the data. ANOVA and independent sample t - test was conducted, and relationships were considered significant at P< 0.05.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The most common injuries was "tissue contusions and ruptures "(about 76/10000), and "tendon lesions" (about 62/10000). In addition, the most common mechanism of injuries was "ankle sprain" (69/10000) during the five consecutive years. The prevalence of all fractures was about 49/10000 and the proportion of burning with hot water or fire was about 40/10000. Changes of all causes of the injuries were significant in this study (P< 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We have suggested some directions for preventing of injuries and related Injuries in Hajj, in this study.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Social Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Sm
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Razavi
authors.forename: H Ziaee
authors.initials: HZ
authors.lastname: Ardakani
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rajai
authors.forename: Mt
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hollisaz
authors.forename: Hr
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sadeghipoor
authors.forename: Aa
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Farshad
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Shojaeezadeh
authors.forename: Gh
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Khodai
keywords: Bone Fractures; Hajj; Injuries; Mechanisms of injuries; Trauma