Citation

Gedlu E. East Afr. Med. J. 1994; 71(12): 807-810.

Affiliation

Department of Paediatrics, Gondar College of Medical Sciences, Ethiopia.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1994, Nairobi Medical Association of East Africa)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

7705255

Abstract

A retrospective analysis of admissions due to unintentional injuries in children was conducted over a five year period (1988-1993) in a teaching hospital in north-western Ethiopia. Injuries accounted for 341 (4.8%) of 7055 admissions due to all causes in this period. Of 313 children whose data were analysed, 228 (63%) were male. The causes of injury were firearms (25%), falls (22%), burns (16%) and motor vehicle accidents (14%). Highest case fatality rates were found in foreign body aspiration (40%), burns (35%) and falls (22%). Most children who presented with burns had more than 15% body surface area affected on admission. Poisoning accounted for 6.8% of admissions and was mostly due to malathion. Animal related injuries accounted for less than 3% of the unintentional injury admissions. This is the first report on childhood injuries from the Gondar area.

Language: en