[Progress in cohort studies related to injury]

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Epidemiology
• Injury Prevention

Background:

• Injury remains a significant global health concern.
• Cohort studies are crucial for understanding injury causes and outcomes.
• A comprehensive summary of existing injury cohort studies is needed.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and summarize the progress of global injury cohort studies.
• To identify trends in publication, study characteristics, and common injury types.
• To assess the landscape of injury cohort research, particularly in China.

Main Methods:

• A systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed, WanFang, and CNKI databases for publications before December 2017.
• Data extracted included study design, injury category, population, sample size, country, follow-up duration, exposures, outcomes, and data collection methods.
• A total of 295 injury cohort studies were analyzed.

Main Results:

• The number of injury cohort studies peaked around the year 2000 and has since declined.
• The United States, Sweden, and the United Kingdom are leading countries in injury cohort publications.
• Suicide/self-harm, falls, and road traffic injuries were the most common causes studied; China has a limited number of published cohorts.

Conclusions:

• Numerous injury cohort studies have been established globally, but few originate from mainland China.
• Existing global studies provide valuable references for designing future large-scale, multi-center injury cohorts in China.
• Further development of high-quality injury cohort research in China is recommended.