Profile of services provided by an accident and emergency care department in connection with road traffic injuries involving children, 2003-2005.

OBJECTIVE

To study profile of services provided by an accident and emergency care department (AECD) in connection with road traffic injuries involving children in "St. Maria" University Paediatrics Hospital, Iaşi, Romania.

METHODS

The survey represents a descriptive analysis of 2003-2005 data regarding the 538 injured children aged 0-18 years and allowed to design the request pattern based on: a) comparison between observed case distribution by weekday, month and season and hypothetical equal distribution using chi2 test; b) most common features of cases.

RESULTS

Injuries ranged from 4.3% in March to 12.3% in August, being significantly higher in summer. Children aged 5-14 years represented 65.6%. The male : female and urban : rural ratios were 1.3 : 1 and 1.5 : 1, respectively. Two in three cases were found to suffer head injury, and one in two children suffered abdomen/pelvis contusions.

CONCLUSION

More road traffic injuries attended the AECD during summer. The common case was male gender aged 5-14 years, urban area, with head injury and abdomen/pelvis contusions.