A STUDY OF THE FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH SEVERITY OF ROAD TRAFFIC INJURIES IN THE EMERGENCY MEDICINE DEPARTMENT IN KOLKATA, INDIA

Introduction: World Health Organization defines road traffic injury (RTI) as a fatal or non fatal injury incurred as a result of a collision on a public road involving at least one moving vehicle and pedestrians. It is a major but neglected public health challenge that requires concerted efforts for effective and sustainable prevention. Worldwide, an estimated 1.2 million people are killed in road crashes each year and as many as 50 million are injured. Nevertheless, the tragedy behind these figures attracts less mass media attention than other, less frequent types of tragedy [1]. Aim: To study the Socio demographic Characteristics of the Study Population with Incidence of the Road Traffic Injury and Factors Associated with Road Traffic Injury. Methodology: This is a Institutional, prospective cross-sectional questioner based study conducted at the Emergency Department of peerless hospital and research centre kolkata. This study was conducted in the Emergency Department of Peerless Hospital And Research Centre Kolkata from March 2016, to August 30, 2017, hospital having a 24-hour Emergency Service after taking ethical clearance from ethical committe and proper consent. Results: Proportion of victim having conflict with family members (20.39%) is significantly lower than proportion not having any conflict with family members (79.61%) with P value 3.38e-09 (< 0.05); Proportion of victim with psychological problems (27.18%) is significantly lower than proportion without any psychological problems (72.82%) with P value 5.83e-06 (< 0.05); Proportion of victim uses alcohol (62.07%) is significantly higher than proportion not uses any alcohol (37.93%) with P value 0.03201 (< 0.05); Proportion of cases ambulance (21.36%) used as mode of transportation is significantly lower than the proportion other modes of transportation (78.64%) used with P value 1.098e-08 (< 0.05); Proportion of victims from poor (40.78%), middle (50.49%) and high (8.74%) financial status differ significantly with P value 3.937e-07 (< 0.05). Proportion of victims from high financial status is significantly lower than the middle with P value 3.679e-08 (<0.05) and also lower than poor with P value 3.82e-06 (< 0.05). Proportion of victims from poor and middle financial status do not vary significantly with P value 0.3023 (>0.05). Proportion of victim shifted to Healthcare centers by ambulance (21.36%, 95% CI 13.44% - 29.27%) is significantly lower than proportion shifted using other modes of transportation (78.64%, 95% CI 70.73% - 86.56%) with P value 1.098e-08 (< 0.05); Ambulance service as mode of transportation to Healthcare center of Mild (17.65% 95% CI 0.00% - 35.77%), Moderate (10.00%, 95% CI 0.00% - 24.26%) and severely (38.89%, 95% CI 15.72% - 62.06%) injured victims varies significantly with P value 0.005076 (>0.05). test statistic used chi-square test for proportions. Conclusion: Results clearly shows that a large number of people who came with RTA have alcohol influence but not related with severity of injury and the health care need to be improved in regard to transport facilities as it is clearly demonstrated that very less people use ambulance service for mode of transport.