title: Epidemiology of paediatric injury in low income environment: value of hospital based data prior to the institution of a formal registration system.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Little attention is generally paid to paediatric injuries, especially in low income settings. The aim of this study is to provide an overview of the epidemiology of hospital-based paediatric injuries in a semi-urban area in Cameroon prior to the initiation of a formal registration system.
  
  
  METHODS
  A sixteen items data collection sheet derived from a newly instituted trauma registry is used to retrospectively gather hospital-based basic information about epidemiology of injuries in patients aged 15 years or below in a low income setting.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two hundred and seventy seven cases representing 16% of all injury cases could be analysed. The frequency of injuries significantly increased with age with a peak between 11 and 15 years (P < 0.001). Children in school playgrounds carried a significantly higher risk of sustaining an injury (P < 0.001). Falls and interpersonal violence were the most frequent mechanisms. The face and locomotor systems were the most commonly involved. More than 60% of patients were discharged back home.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The data from the present registration system seem to indicate a higher injury rate in pre-adolescent children and in the school playground. The institution of a formal registration system is likely to improve the quality of data recording system.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Thoracic Surgery, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Buea and Regional Hospital Limbe, Yaoundé, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Alain
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chichom-Mefire
authors.forename: Marcus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fokou
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D017677:Age Distribution; D002163:Cameroon / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006753:Hospital Records / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D008297:Male; D011203:Poverty; D012042:Registries; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology*