An epidemiological study of trauma and physical injuries among children admitted to government Hospitals

Introduction: Reducing the preventable mortality and morbidity among children is one of the core indicators of sustainable development goals. This study was conducted with the objective of assessing the epidemiology, pattern, and outcome of physical injury and medico-legal case reports among pediatric population. Materials and Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study in the three districts of Madhya Pradesh. All children less than fifteen years of age brought with physical injuries to the nine selected public hospitals were included in the present studies. The data were analysed for gender, age group, mode & type of injury. Results: A total of 2,533 children under fifteen years of age were included in this study. Of the total children, medico-legal reports were filed for 368 (14.5%) study participants and 82 (3.23%) children died because of their injuries. Road traffic accidents (RTA) were the most common cause of physical injury closely followed by fall from height and recreational activities. Conclusion: It is our firm conclusion that most cases of physical injuries among children could have been easily prevented. We identified several epidemiological factors which can be manipulated by various interventions to reduce the incidence of physical injuries among children.