|
| ORIGINAL ARTICLE |
 |
|
|
| Year : 2008 |
Volume
: 33 | Issue : 4 | Page
: 238-242 |
|
Incidence of physical injuries in a rural community in Sri Lanka: Results of the first community survey in Sri Lanka
MD Lamawansa, A Piyathilake
Department of Surgery, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka
Correspondence Address:
M D Lamawansa
Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Peradeniya
Sri Lanka
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
DOI: 10.4103/0970-0218.43229
|
|
|
Background: Injuries account for approximately 11% of all hospital admissions in Sri Lanka. However, no published data are available with regard to the community incidence of injuries in Sri Lanka. Objectives: To determine the community incidence of major intentional and unintentional physical injuries in a rural community in Sri Lanka. Materials and Methods: A rural community consisting of 225 families with 1029 inhabitants was studied. Data on major injuries for a period of one year were collected retrospectively. Results: There were 85 major injuries in the community during the year of study. This gives a major injury incidence of 82.6 per 1000 person years. This is three times the incidence based on hospital-derived data. Animal bites being the most common cause of injury was noted in 2.3% of the population followed by falls in 1.6%, contact with objects in 1.5%, cut injuries in 1% and road trauma in 1%. Conclusions: This study shows a higher incidence of major physical injuries (both intentional and unintentional) in the community than figures derived from hospital data. The prevention of injuries in a community such as the one studied here should be aimed at animal bites, falls, contacts with objects, cut injuries and road trauma. |
|
|
|
| [FULL TEXT] [PDF]* |
|
 |
|
|
|
