Incidence and patterns of injury-related mortality: a register-based follow-up study in Alexandria, Egypt (2000-2010)

Injuries, with their grave social and economic consequences, although preventable, are an important cause of death in individuals in their most productive earning years, especially in developing countries. This study aimed to determine the incidence and describe the patterns of injury-related mortality in Alexandria, Egypt, through 2000-2010, and to identify their association with some demographic characteristics.

Data were collected from the information and decision support center in Alexandria, as case records, for the period 2000-2010. STATA 11 software was used. Time-series analyses (trends and seasonality) were performed for all injuries combined and separately. The association between demographic characteristics and injury-related mortalities was determined using zero-inflated Poisson regression.

Injury-related mortalities comprised a total of 19 731 deaths between 2000 and 2010 (the incidence ranged between 38.3/100 000 and 51.1/100,000). Road traffic accident was the first leading cause. Almost 70% of injury-related deaths occurred in the age group 15 to <60 years. Men were more at risk than women for all types of injuries, except burns. Higher rates were calculated for poor and remote districts. Summer months showed the highest seasonal index for each type and all combined.

Policy makers need to recognize injuries as a public health crisis, especially road traffic accidents, and need to design and implement urgent interventions for safety applicable to the Egyptian demography and distribution.