Characterization of Clients Hospitalized due to Injuries Caused by Traffic Collisions, in Ophthalmologic Foundation of Santander – Foscal, Year 2012

Abstract

Introduction: Injuries due to traffic collision have become a local, national, and worldwide public health issue which are related to multiple factors such as socioeconomic development, motor vehicle growth, infrastructure, breaking of traffic rules, and intake of alcoholic and psychoactive substances among others. Objective: To characterize trauma events due to traffic collisions in relation to the individual and the event. Methodology: Observational, descriptive and retrospective study. Results: 75.40 % of injured people were men. The average age was 33.80 (DE = 16.1), and 43.20% of the total population studied ranged from 18 to 29 years old. 40.70% were single, 32.20% were married, 13.30 % were a couple and 2.00% were divorced. 77.80% of the cases, the involved vehicle was a motorcycle, 52.80% stated to be drivers, 18.50% passengers, 16.90% pedestrians, and 3.60% bikers; 50.40% of the events took place over the weekend, 58.00% of the crashes happened during the day; 97.60% of the injured people were alive at discharge. The highway that communicates the towns of Bucaramanga, Floridablanca and Piedecuesta was where most of the road traffic accidents took place. Conclusions: Motorcycles seem to be more frequently involved in traffic collision events, which compared to low and medium income countries, shows the lack of prevention programs departments of education, social development, health and environment have. [Hernández-Gamboa AE, Ardila YA. Characterization of Clients Hospitalized due to Injuries Caused by Traffic Collisions, in Fundación Oftalmológica de Santander – Foscal, Year 2012. MedUNAB 2015; 17(3): 142-148].