Characteristics and risk factors of traffic injuries of adolescents (0-19 years old) in the urban and rural areas of Chongqing / 中华创伤杂志

ABSTRACT

ObjectiveTo study the characteristics and risk factors of traffic injuries among the adolescents (0-19 years old) in the urban and rural areas of Chongqing and discuss the preventive strategy. MethodsData of road traffic crashes and injuries involving 0-19 years old adolescents over a seven-year period (2000-2006) in three districts of Chongqing was picked up from Road _Traffic Crashes and Injuries Database. Epidemiological characteristics of the traffic crashes and injuries among 0-19 years old adolescents were analyzed and differences between rural and urban areas were studied. ResultsFrom 2000 to 2006, both incidence rate and mortality rate peaked in the urban fringe area were 95.43/100 000 and 3.44/100 000 respectively. Traffic accidents in the suburbs and counties had the highest injury extent, with mortality rate of 9.06％ and severe injury rate of 17.33％. Brain injuries were the primary cause of death. Among the victims, 62.7％ were the pedestrians, of which 20.72％ bore equal responsibility because of disobeying traffic signals, suddenly walking across roads and not walking along the sidewalk. Ninety percentage of the traffic accidents occurred in the sections with no traffic signals or traffic control system. ConclusionIt is important to enhance the traffic safety consciousness of teenagers and children, strengthen preventive measures in fringe areas and rural areas and improve the emergency medical system in rural areas to provide the teenagers and children with a safety traffic environment.