Preliminary Results of Injury Surveillance at Viet Duc Hospital
Abstract
Purpose: Injury surveillance, a key to injury prevention, is the systematic collection, analysis, interpretation and dissemination of data on injury-related events for use in public health action to reduce morbidity and mortality and to improve health. The first injury surveillance was successfully implemented in a few pilot hospitals in Vietnam. Viet Duc Hospital, one of the leading centers of surgery and trauma in Vietnam, was one of these and has implemented an injury surveillance program.
Materials and Methods: Data were collected from all cases of injuries treated and admitted to Viet Duc Hospital, including death data. The surveillance was conducted during the period from 26 March 2006 to 26 October 2006.
Results: Data collected over 7 months in 2006 at Viet Duc Hospital showed 17,643 cases of injury treated in the emergency department, representing 70% of all emergencies. 989 patients died due to injury within 7 days, representing 5.6% of all injuries. Surveillance was conducted on 5,468 cases, in which men outnumbered women by a ratio of 3:1 and the highest proportion of patients were between 20 to 50 years of age. Patients referred from provinces accounted for 73% of cases. The highest categories of morbidity were among students and farmers who accounted for 22% and 25%. The largest numbers of injuries were to the head and face at 40%, second were to the extremities at 38%. Critical injuries accounted for only 2.6% of cases and serious injuries for only 3% based on Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) scaling. 30% received first aid at provincial hospitals and 23% at district hospitals. 38% of victims were transported by ambulance, 32% were accompanied by health workers. Traffic-related accidents accounted for 63% of all injuries, among which 74% of cases were from motorbike accidents. Motorbike drivers were injured in 70% of traffic cases. Only 5% of drivers were wearing helmets.
Conclusions: In order to prevent injury as well as to reduce the mortality rate, data on injuries should be collected accurately and completely. Despite the challenges of implementing the first surveillance of injury in a hospital, the results are successful and informative in determining the epid emiology of injury, and providing accurate morbidity and mortality data. The value of hospital trauma registry as a major research tool is increasingly recognized because of its role in improving care of trauma patients and bringing about better resource utilization.
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