Pattern of injuries suffered by patients treated for alleged assault at Witbank General Hospital, Mpumalanga

Abstract

BackgroundViolence has been with us since time immemorial. In South Africa, violence plays a detrimental role in our daily lives, affecting almost everybody, directly or indirectly. The country experiences high levels of violence, with incidents of violence being reported in the newspapers and on radio and television on a daily basis. In the author's personal experience as a casualty officer at Witbank General Hospital, a considerable number of patients with assault-related injuries were seen every day. The objectives of this study were to assess the demographic and social factors associated with assault incidents, as well as to establish the type of injuries suffered by the victims of assault. MethodsThe method used was a descriptive, cross-sectional survey, undertaken at the casualty department of the Witbank General Hospital in Mpumalanga Province from 29 October 1999 to 1 May 2000. All patients who attended for injuries due to alleged assault (interpersonal violence) and met the inclusion criteria were included in the study. A total of 547 patients were selected as subjects of the study. ResultsThe majority of the victims were male (71.8%; N = 389), 69% (N = 377) were single and 91% (N = 498) were of African descent. The age group of the majority (86.9%; N = 475) ranged between 17 and 45 years. All the respondents had injuries to more than one part of the body. Among the assaulted patients, 86.6% (N = 474) had more than one type of injury. The majority of the victims of assault (81.4%; N = 445) were not admitted for in-hospital treatment. ConclusionsThe study revealed that a typical victim of assault treated at Witbank Hospital was an African male between the ages of 17 and 45 years. He had been attacked during the night or over the weekend. He had also probably been drinking. He would have suffered minor injuries, mainly to the head and neck.

Assault pattern: Characteristics of victims seen at a police clinic

“…This is similar to findings in South Africa, England and Denmark (3,5,7,9,10). Upper limb was the second commonest site in the index study, which is similar to observations in South Africa and England, but different from reports from India and Scotland (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)10). That the UL is second most involved site may possibly be due to the defensive and instinctive reaction of humans toward an external attack by simply extending the upper limbs (1,2).…”

“…Other studies in South Africa, Scotland, England and Denmark reported fist as the most commonly used instrument (3,4,7,9,10). Various studies in India reported sharp objects, sticks and other blunt objects as most commonly used (1,2,6).…”

“…While injuries ranging from bruises/ abrasions, lacerations, stab wounds, fractures and loss of consciousness can occur. Most of the injuries following IA are minor not warranting hospital admission while the head, face and neck regions and the upper limbs are usually the most involved body regions (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)9,10,12,13). Majority of IA occur during late night hours, mostly on weekends with the street and drinking bars been the commonest venue (1,4,5,11,13).…”

“…The character of an injury caused by some mechanical force are dependent on the nature and shape of the weapon, the amount of energy in the weapon or instrument when it strikes the body, whether it is inflicted upon a moving or a fixed body and the nature of the tissue involved (2). The major risk factors for interpersonal assaults are unemployment, poverty, illiteracy, male sex and alcohol (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11). Commonly used instruments include but not limited to fist, kicks, other body parts, knifes, glasses, blunt objects and guns (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(10)(11).…”

Healthcare professionals' perceptions of alcohol-intoxicated trauma patients: Implications for healthcare delivery at South Rand Hospital Emergency Department

“…The fact that most HCPs fall within the highest tax bracket in South Africa may influence them to think that alcohol intoxication (being self-inflicted) and the resultant injuries unfairly place a substantial financial burden on taxpayers and consume resources that could be devoted to other illnesses. 13,14 Therefore, alcohol abuse needs to be addressed at different levels to prevent injury and the accompanying costs, so that much-needed resources can be redirected to other health priorities. HCPs' perceptions that these patients place a financial burden on taxpayers and that it is useless to treat them could result in HCPs providing suboptimal treatment, a situation that might result in medico-legal issues.…”