Epidemiology of major trauma and trauma deaths in Los Angeles County

Our objective was to study population-based trauma-related injuries and deaths in the county of Los Angeles and to identify trends and progress towards meeting the "Year 2000 National Health Objectives."

We did a retrospective study for the year 1996. Data were obtained from the Trauma Registry of the Emergency Medical Services of the Department of Health Services, and the Coroner's Department of the County of Los Angeles. Traumatic injuries and deaths per 100,000 of the population were calculated according to mechanism, race, age, and gender.

During 1996, there were 12,136 major trauma admissions in the 13 trauma centers in Los Angeles County. Another 1,929 victims died at the scene or were certified dead at nontrauma centers and were taken to the Coroner's Department (total 14,065 victims). The overall major injury rate was 151.0 per 100,000 population and the death rate was 30.9 per 100,000. The trauma death rate per 100,000 population was 56.4 for African-Americans, 33.5 for Hispanics, 26.3 for Caucasians, and 11.6 for Asians. Homicides were the leading cause of traumatic deaths (45.3%) followed by traffic accidents (31.9% of deaths). Firearms were responsible for 3,899 major injuries or deaths (41.7 per 100,000 population). The overall homicide rate per 100,000 population was 14.0, with a much higher rate for African-Americans (40.4 per 100,000) and Hispanics (18.7 per 100,000) than Caucasians (4.0 per 100,000) or Asians (3.4 per 100,000). African-American males were at very high risk for homicide (73.3 per 100,000), and in the age group 15 to 34 years, this problem reaches epidemic proportions (164.2 per 100,000). Traffic accidents accounted for 69.0 major injuries and 9.6 deaths per 100,000 people. Males were at significantly higher risk of dying in traffic accidents than females. People over 60 years of age were at significantly higher risk of traffic-accident death than younger people, for both passenger and pedestrian groups (p < 0.01). Firearm-related suicides were responsible for 4.6 deaths per 100,000 population. Caucasian males over 65 years were at much higher risk of suicide by penetrating trauma (29.5 per 100,000) than were Hispanics (6.3 per 100,000), Asians (5.4 per 100,000), or African-Americans (no deaths) in the same gender and age group.

Trauma remains a major health problem in the county of Los Angeles. Despite the significant reduction of intentional trauma in 1996, it still exceeds national figures and is much higher than the targeted "Year 2000 National Health Objectives." Aggressive prevention strategies need to focus on the population groups at excessive risks of injury by assault, traffic accidents, and suicides.