No abstract

In a cross-sectional study, all trauma patients hospitalized for 24 hours or more over a 4-month period in Taleghani hospital, the only referral teaching centre in Kermanshah city, were studied (n = 779). Mean age was 34.7 (standard deviation 19.9) years. Male, unemployed and illiterate patients predominated. Road traffic accidents, falls and interpersonal violence were the most common mechanisms of injury. Among road traffic accident victims, pedestrians were the most vulnerable group. A total of 7.8% of patients died, mostly due to head injuries (78.7%). Our findings also showed the importance of head trauma as the main anatomical site of injury.

The commonest method of accidental poisoning was overdose in opioid and opiate abusers. Attempted suicide was also very common comprising about one third of all cases. The high mortality observed in this study warrants attention to the risk factors and prognostic factors of poisoning in elderly.