Vehicular accidents top cause of injuries – DOH

The Department of Health on Tuesday said that 3,077 vehicular accident-related injuries were reported for the first quarter of 2010, according to its National Electronic Injury Surveillance System. The report shows that there were 9,521 injury cases in 77 government and private hospitals.

The leading external causes of injuries were vehicular accidents at 32.32 percent; mauling, 18.45 percent; sharp objects, 11.87 percent; falls, 11.71 percent; bites/stings, 5.46 percent and burns, 1.26 percent.

Meanwhile the highest number of injuries was recorded in Central Luzon at 34.1 percent followed by the Davao region at 13.5 percent.

The report said that the most common injuries were open wound/lacerations at 40.1 percent followed by abrasion at 35.3 percent and contusion at 17 percent. More than half of the total reported injury cases belonged to the age bracket 15 to 44.

Children less than 5 years old and the elderly aged 65 years and above accounted for 7 percent and 3 percent of the injuries, respectively.

The motorcycle was the most common form of transport involved in injuries at 55.4 percent, while 15.1 percent involved occupants of jeepney, cargo trucks and other means of transportation. The primary reported risk factor for vehicular accident-related injuries was drunk driving at 20.2 percent.

The Health department said that people under the influence of alcohol or liquor should not drive.

Majority of those injured because of vehicular accidents reached the hospital alive, while 66 percent of those reported dead upon arrival were motorcycle riders.

The Health department has recommended the use of helmets for motorcycle riders to prevent injuries and death.

The report said that most injuries occurred on the road at 44.4 percent and at home at 22.9 percent. Some injuries were leisure-related at 20.2 percent and 7.8 percent were work-related. –JOVEE MARIE N. DELA CRUZ REPORTER, Manila Times