Trauma aetiology and cost in the Accident and Emergency Unit of the University Hospital of the West Indies

ABSTRACT

Trauma accounted for 37of 22,311 patients seen in the Accident and Emergency Unit (A&E Unit) at the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI) during 1996. Thirty-nine per cent of injuries were intentional and 18were due to motor vehicle accidents. Knives, machetes and rocks accounted for 75of the injuries compared with 5for gunshot wounds. Passengers were injured in about 40of motor vehicle accidents and pedestrians in 19. The admission rate was 16and the orthopaedic clinic received 75of the patients referred to specialist clinics. Victims of motor vehicle accidents made up a greater proportion of admissions (24) than those of intentional violence (13). The average cost of caring for each patient in the A&E unit was US$70 resulting in an annual cost of US$578,000.