Injury-related deaths among women aged 10-50 years in Bangladesh, 1996-97

Few studies have examined injury-related deaths among women in Bangladesh. We did a case-finding study to identify causes and the impact of intentional and unintentional injury-related deaths among women aged 10-50 years in Bangladesh.

Between 1996 and 1997, health care and other service providers at 4751 health facilities throughout Bangladesh were interviewed about their knowledge of deaths among women aged 10-50 years. In addition, at all public facilities providing inpatient service, medical records of women who died during the study period were reviewed. The reported circumstances surrounding each death were carefully reviewed to attribute the most likely cause of death.

28,998 deaths among women aged 10-50 years were identified in our study, and, of these, 6610 (23%) were thought to be caused by intentional or unintentional injuries. About half (3317) of the injury deaths were attributable to suicide, 352 (5%) to homicide, 1100 (17%) to accidental injuries, and the intent was unknown for 1841 (28%) deaths. The unadjusted rate of suicides were higher in the Khulna administrative division (27.0 per 100,000) than the other four administrative divisions of Bangladesh (range 3.5-11.3 per 100,000). Poisoning (n=3971) was the commonest cause of injury-related death--60% of all injury deaths (6610) and 14% of all deaths (28,998). Other common causes of injury deaths in order of frequency were hanging or suffocation, road traffic accidents, burns, drowning, physical assault, firearm or sharp instrument injury, and snake or animal bite.

Intentional and unintentional injuries are a major cause of death among women aged 10-50 years in Bangladesh. Strategies to reduce injury-related deaths among women need to be devised.