Morbidity and Mortality among the RTA Casualties Attending in a Tertiary Care Hospital, Belgaum - A Retrospective Study

Accident is an "unpremeditated event resulting in recognizable damage, which usually produces unintended injury, death or property damage". Globally, an estimated 1.2 million people are killed in road crashes each year and as many as 50 million are injured. WHO predicts that in the list of leading public health problems by 2030 Road Traffic injuries (RTIs) will move to 5th position from 9th position. Worldwide everyday as many as 140, 000 people are injured on roads. More than 15,000 are disabled and 3,000 died.

This was a Retrospective descriptive study conducted at a tertiary care Hospital of KLE University, Belgaum. All the cases of Road traffic injuries and accidents admitted in this hospital during the period of Jan-Dec 2011 were taken.

Out of 590 cases of road traffic injuries and accidents 453 (76.8%) were male and 137 (23.2%) female casualties. The highest number 247 (41.9%) victims were between 21 to 30 years of age. Most common time of occurrence of accidents was between 12 noon to 6 pm in the evening and a greater number of accident cases were seen in summer season. Majority of them were simple types of injuries 218 (36.9%) followed by Head and lower limb injuries. Two wheelers were the cause of maximum accidents. In types of accidents collision was seen in more than half of the vehicles followed by fall and overturning. Out of all the accidents 465 (78.8%) were cured, 83 (14.1%) died and 42 (7.1%) got disabled.

Most of the victims were of young age groups and out of all the accidents cases 78.8% were cured, 14.1% died and 7.1% got disabled. Maximum accident was seen between 12 noon to 6 pm. Two wheelers were involved in more accidents and head injuries were the most common types of injuries seen.