Epidemiological and Demographic Status of Violence and Strife in the Emergency Department of Sabzevar Emdad Hospital

Abstract

Background: Violence and strife are among the most important causes of health threats and account for more than half a million deaths per year, especially at young ages. Considering the young population of Iran and the occurrence of identity crisis in the young age group and the fact that this phenomenon is costly for our country’s health care system, this study was conducted to investigate the factors related to violence and strife and the related mortality in patients admitted to the Sabzevar Emdad Emergency department. Methods: In this descriptive cross-sectional study, 207 patients who were admitted to Sabzevar Emdad Hospital in 2017 following strife were included. The inclusion criterion was hospitalized patients who were referred to the Emergency department following the strife and the exclusion criterion was incomplete registration of patients’ information. The data collection tool was a researcher-made checklist. Data analysis was performed using SPSS software version 18. Results: The Mean±SD age of patients was 34.81±14.75 years. Most patients were from urban living places, while the mortality rate, gender, and the cause of trauma were not statistically associated with patients’ place of residence. The most common type of lesions following strife was bruising, tearing, and scratching accounting for nearly 70% of cases. The most common site of injury was bruising and scratching in the head and neck, followed by tears and fractures in the limbs. In general, the most common site of injury was the upper extremity followed by the head and neck. The majority of patients (52%) underwent medical treatment, including receiving medication, dressing, and splinting, while 37% of patients were referred to the operation room for surgery. A significant relationship was observed between mortality rate and the site of injury (P=0.001). Conclusion: The results showed that in Sabzevar city, the prevalence of strife ‎ is higher among men. Also, the most common effects following these types of trauma are bruising, scratching, and tearing. It seems that by providing appropriate solutions and creating a culture and increasing people’s awareness of injuries caused by strife, it would be possible to pave the way for reducing such injuries in the future.