Unintentional childhood injury patterns, odds, and outcomes in Kampala City: an analysis of surveillance data from the National Pediatric Emergency Unit
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Date
2011
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Journal of injury and violence research
Abstract
Unintentional Childhood Injuries pose a major public health challenge in Africa and
Uganda. Previous estimates of the problem may have underestimated the childhood problem. We set
to determine unintentional childhood injury pattern, odds, and outcomes at the National Paediatric
Emergency unit in Kampala city using surveillance data.
Methods: Incident proportions, odds and proportional rates were calculated and used to determine
unintentional injury patterns across childhood (1-12 years).
Results: A total of 556 cases recorded between January and May 2008 were analyzed: majority
had been transported to hospital by mothers using mini-buses, private cars, and motorcycles. Median
distance from injury location to hospital was 5 km. Homes, roads, and schools were leading injury
locations. Males constituted 60% of the cases. Play and daily living activities were commonest injury
time activities. Falls, burns and traffic accounted for 70.5% of unintentional childhood injuries. Burns,
open wounds, fractures were commonest injury types. Motorcycles, buses and passenger-cars caused
most crashes. Play grounds, furniture, stairs and trees were commonest source of falls. Most burn
injuries were caused by liquids, fires and hot objects. 43.8% of cases were admitted. 30% were
discharged without disability; 10%, were disabled; 1%, died. Injury odds and proportional incidence
rates varied with age, place and cause. Poisoning and drowning were rare. Local pediatric injury
priorities should include home, road and school safety.
Conclusions: Unintentional injuries are common causes of hospital visit by children under 13 years
especially boys. Homes, roads and educational facilities are commonest unintentional injury sites.
Significant age and gender differences exist in intentional injury causation, characteristics and
outcomes. In its current form, our surveillance system seems inefficient in capturing poisoning and
drowning. The local prevention priorities could include home, road and school safety; especially
dissemination and uptake of proven interventions. Burns should be focus of domestic injury prevention
among under-fives. Commercial passenger motorcycles require better regulation and control.
Description
Keywords
Unintentional- Childhood, Injuries, Emergency Unit, Referral Hospital
Citation
Mutto, M., Lawoko, S., Nansamba, C., Ovuga, E., & Svanstrom, L. (2011). Unintentional childhood injury patterns, odds, and outcomes in Kampala City: an analysis of surveillance data from the National Pediatric Emergency Unit. Journal of injury and violence research, 3(1), 13. doi: 10.5249/jivr. v3i1.56