Abstract:
INTRODUCTION
Every year, 1.35 million people die in road accidents, with
a high mortality rate among young people aged 15-29
years. The problem of road safety is getting worse every
year, causing enormous financial damage to healthcare
systems and other forms of human suffering, in special in
low-middle income countries. Systems for routinely collecting
injury data in the Republic of Moldova are limited.
OBJECTIVES
This study aimed to identify specific characteristics of
road traffic injuries among patients treated in the largest
trauma hospitals in the country.
METHODS
It was tested a pilot iCREATE Injury Registry within 2
Emergency Departments in Chisinau municipality. A total
number of 7,946 patients with different types of injuries
were collected during one year from the existing patient
medical records. RedCap was used to upload the data and
analyze it through SPSS.
RESULTS
There have been identified 2,251 road traffic-related cases
(28.3% from total), road traffic-specific questions like
helmet and child seat in 391 observations (17.4%). Injury
cases prevail among men. The most specific age affected
by road injury was 19-39 years; the age group >60 years
by falls, the age group 8-18 years by school environment
injuries. Most cases happened in urban areas (85%). Road
traffic victims used proportionally private/public transport
in 49% and ground ambulance in 47%. Most cases
happened within the road environment and unintentionally
(94%), from them due to falls in 63% and 17% due to
road traffic event. Among the main purposes in which the
persons were mentioned in one of the risk situations of
injury were: travel for certain purposes in certain places
of personal interest, vital daily activities, unspecified activities,
leisure and play, unpaid work, including domestic
activities within the home environment. There have been
registered 87% cases having a single distinct injury, 2 distinct
injuries in 9%. The main types of injury were fracture,
contusion, sprain, and concussion/brain injury. Immediate
treatment with follow-up was needed in 60% of the
cases, a quarter of the injured persons were treated and
admitted to the hospital, 8% were treated and released
without follow-up. Referring to the road injury event, the
seat belt was used in only 34,5% of cases, child safety restraint
in 15,1%, and helmet in 15,4%.
CONCLUSION
The obtained data underline the importance of an injury
register, the need to develop health promotion and health
education campaigns among the vulnerable groups, and
the involvement of all actors in maintaining road safety.
