ABSTRACT
This study was conducted in ten major city hospitals and twelve city council health clinics in Nairobi. Hospital records covering the period 1986 to 1990 were reviewed. Information on age, sex, occupation, type and cause of injury, the management and outcome of treatment was extracted from the records. This article focuses on the elderly, aged 55 years and above. The results indicate that falls inside the house accounted for most (69%) of the injuries. This was followed by accidental cuts (27%) and injuries resulting from domestic violence (26%). The main types of injuries recorded were open wounds (56%), followed by head injuries (24%) and fractures (21%). Most of the injuries (more than 63%) occurred in the low income areas (mainly Mathare and Eastlands). These injuries have implications on care for the elderly and on the cost to the individual, the health facilities and the nation. The results indicate that domestic injuries are a common occurrence among the elderly and there is need to focus on prevention and cost-effective case management strategies.
Subject(s)
Accidents, Home/statistics & numerical data , Aged , Wounds and Injuries/etiology , Accidental Falls/statistics & numerical data , Age Distribution , Aged, 80 and over , Female , Health Services Needs and Demand , Humans , Kenya , Male , Middle Aged , Poverty , Retrospective Studies , Sex Distribution , Urban Health , Violence/statistics & numerical dataABSTRACT
A retrospective study was conducted over a twenty-month period from March 1991 to October 1992. The purpose of the study was to determine the types and causes of domestic accidents/injuries in the city of Nairobi. A total of 9,648 case files were perused and out of this figure 52% or 5009 records belonged to persons aged below 18 years. The male:female ratio was 1.6:1. Burns were identified as the most prevalent type of injury (37%) followed by cuts/wounds (24.9%) and body swellings (4.9%). The main causes of these accidents were: fire, falls inside and outside the house and cutting implements. These results are only an index to a problem that has been given little prominence in the field of public health.
Subject(s)
Accidents, Home/statistics & numerical data , Adolescent , Age Distribution , Child , Child, Preschool , Female , Humans , Infant , Infant, Newborn , Kenya/epidemiology , Male , Population Surveillance , Retrospective Studies , Treatment Outcome , Urban Health , Wounds and Injuries/etiology , Wounds and Injuries/therapyABSTRACT
Records from the office of the Registrar of Births and Deaths in Nairobi, Kenya, were studied with the aim of determining the magnitude of fatalities due to injuries sustained in the living environment. This information covered the period between 1986 and 1990. Data were collected over a one month period from 3rd July 1991 to 9th August 1991. The information which was collected from the death certificates included type of injury resulting in death, age and sex of the victim. The results from a total of 944 records revealed that males suffered more deaths than females (M:F ratio was 2.67:1). The most commonly occurring type of injury resulting in death was burns (22.5%). This was followed by drowning (18.1%), head injuries (18%) and suicide by hanging (12%). Stab wounds and poisoning (excluding food poisoning) each accounted for 6% of the total deaths, inhalation of vomit (5.2%) and crush injuries due to falling from a height (3.8%). Bullet wounds, asphyxia due to choking, abortion and electrocution each contributed less than 3% of total deaths. The age bracket with the highest number of deaths was between 20 years to 39 year's (51.4%) while infants and children 0-4 years alone contributed 16% of the total deaths. Since non-transport fatalities are common in all age groups, health education programmes must target both children and the adult population.
Subject(s)
Death Certificates , Population Surveillance , Urban Population , Wounds and Injuries/mortality , Adolescent , Adult , Age Factors , Aged , Causality , Cause of Death , Child , Child, Preschool , Female , Humans , Infant , Infant, Newborn , Kenya/epidemiology , Male , Middle Aged , Retrospective Studies , Sex Factors , Wounds and Injuries/etiology , Wounds and Injuries/prevention & controlABSTRACT
Hospital records covering the period between 1986 and 1990 obtained from 10 major city hospitals and 12 City Council Health clinics were reviewed and information on age, sex, occupation, type and cause of injury and its management was extracted. Also extracted was information on outcome of treatment. This paper deals only with information related to persons aged 18 years and above. The results show that out of 9648 hospital records reviewed, 48% were adult cases, with a male to female ratio of 1.5:1. Age group 18-35 years constituted more than 70% of all the cases, declining markedly with increasing age. The slums and low income group residential areas contributed 63% of the cases. The main types of injuries attended to were open wounds (34%), burns (13%), swellings (7%), lacerations and bruises (6%), bites and limb injuries (5%), respectively. The results show that there is a clear case for a community operational research project with a strong accident prevention component.