Accidents & Injuries

Learning Objective At the end of this lecture the student will be able to: Define Accident. Identify the different types of injuries. Identify the preventive strategies.

Definitions Accidents: A sudden event that is not planned or intended and that causes damage or injury. Occurrence in a sequence of events which usually produces unintended injury, death or property damage. Injury: Harmful condition sustained by the body as a result of an accident. Fatal injury an injury which causes a death. Major injury: Type of harm which causes permanent or prolonged impairment of the body.

Epidemiology Every day nearly 2,300 children and adolescents die from injuries as a result of traffic accidents, drowning, poisoning, falls or burns, and violence. Over five million people worldwide die each year, while non-fatal harm is suffered by millions more. 90% of the world's fatalities on the roads occur in low- and middle-income countries, even though these countries have approximately half of the world's vehicles. Many of those who survive their injuries suffer life- long disabling health consequences. Injuries account for 9% of global mortality and are a threat to health in every country of the world. 

About 1.25 million people die each year as a result of road traffic crashes. Road traffic injuries are the leading cause of death among aged between 15 and 44 years account for 48% of global road traffic deaths. Half of those dying on the world’s roads are “vulnerable road users”: pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists. Without action, road traffic crashes are predicted to rise to become the 7th leading cause of death by 2030.

In Pakistan, close to 9,000 road accidents are reported to the police every year since 2011, killing over 4,500 people on average, according to the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS). In Pakistan road accident in 2013 Accident were 8885 Killed cases 4672 Injured cases 9864

Type of Accidents Road traffic accidents Domestic accidents Industrial accidents Railways accidents Violence

Road traffic accidents A road traffic injury is a fatal or non-fatal injury as a result of a collision on a public road involving at least one moving vehicle. Children, pedestrians, cyclists and the elderly are among the most vulnerable of road users. Key risk factors: Speed Drink–driving Motorcycle helmets Seat-belts and child restraints Distracted driving

Preventive Measures Governments need to take action to address road safety in a holistic manner, that requires involvement from multiple sectors (transport, police, health, education) and that addresses the safety of roads, vehicles, and road users themselves. Effective interventions include designing safer infrastructure, road user behaviour are equally important, such as setting and enforcing laws relating to key risk factors, and raising public awareness. Improving the safety features of vehicles; and Improving post-crash care for victims of road crashes.

Domestic accidents Falls from a height Burn and scald  by flame, hot water or hot objects, electricity, crackers or fire work, chemical. Poisoning from swallowing a harmful substance such as drugs, insecticides, rat poisons, kerosene oil . Drowning Injuries from sharp or pointed instrument. Bite or other injuries from animals.

Industrial accidents Workers in agriculture. Home industries. Marble. Textile Manufacturing, Radiation department. Cement industry etc.

Railways accidents Aeroplane accidents Ship accidents

Violence Violence is defined by the WHO as "the intentional use of physical force or power, threatened or actual, against oneself, another person, or against a group or community, which either results in or has a high likelihood of resulting in injury, death, psychological harm. The most prevalent cause of death in interpersonal violence is assault with a firearm followed by a sharp object . Now a day suicidal attack.

Prevention 1. Data collection: National data should be supplemented by special surveys. Without adequate data collection, analysis and interpretation could have no effective counter measure, evaluations and strategies for prevention. 2 . Safety education: Must begin with school children Driver need to be trained regarding risk factors traffic rules and safety precautions.

3 . Promotion of safety measures: Seat belts Safety helmets Door locks Leather clothing and boots 4. Alcohol and other drugs: 5. Primary care: emergency care should begin at the accident site, continue during transportation and in the hospital emergency room. At any of these stages a life may be save or lost depending upon the skill of health worker and availability of equipment. 6. Elimination of causation factors such as improvement of road, imposition of speed limits, marking of danger points ,safe storage of drug poisons and weapons.

7. Enforcement of laws on the road and in working place. 8. Rehabilitation services to prevent ,reduce or compensate disability and handicap. 9. Accident research is also known as accidentology . through which gather information about the extent,type and other characteristic of accident and its preventive measures.