Three-month prevalence and profile of injuries in university students - perspective from Pakistan

ABSTRACT

To study the three-month prevalence, type, place of occurrence, body parts involvement and duration of recovery from injuries, as well as health seeking behavior of injured university students of both genders. Setting: The study was undertaken in a university campus in Islamabad. A cross-sectional survey based on sample of convenience was conducted, using a structured pre-tested questionnaire with close-ended questions. Trained student interviewers conducted all the interviews after obtaining verbal consent. Cumulatively 432 students were interviewed, 216 males and an equal number of females. Most students [367=85%] were enrolled in the masters program, 187 [86.6%] females and 180 [83.3%] males. 113 [26.2%] students reported sustaining injuries in the past three months, out of which 72 [63.7%] were male students and 41 [36.3%] were female students. These 113 students reported 155 injuries, as some students also reported multiple injuries in this period. 92 injuries were reported by men, while 63 by women. Injuries in men tended to be more severe in nature requiring physician prescribed medication and longer time to heal. There is a need for population-based studies to determine the prevalence and phenomenology of injuries in graduate students for better and informed public health and health education policies in the country