UNINTENTIONAL INJURIES IN RURAL AREA - A COMMUNITY BASED STUDY IN RURAL BHOPAL

Background: Unintentional injuries within the home environment have not so far been recognized to the same extent as traffic and work-related injuries in India, largely because they have not been effectively counted. This study took place in the area under PHC Ratua of district Bhopal, India aiming to determine the profile of unintentional injuries. Methods: All the inhabitants of 11 villages within 5 kms. from the centre formed the study population (13,587). One family member preferably the head was interviewed about their experience of injury in the preceding three months by trained personnel. Results: 487 persons had a total of 543 new injuries during three months prior to the interview. Only 292/543 (53.7%) of the recorded injuries received medical care at health facilities. Home and road traffic injuries constituted the most common injuries with incidence rates of 27 and 24, respectively. Home injuries were most common among young children and the elderly. Majority of the injuries were attributed to ‘‘cutting and crushing’’. Falls were the leading cause among the young (<15 years) and the old (above 60 years). Conclusion: The findings suggest that greater attention needs to be directed toward the prevention of injuries occurring in the home. A larger study in terms of size as well as duration (at least one year) is needed to characterize the patterns of unintentional injuries in more detail, including any seasonal variation.