An Epidemiological Study of Traumas Caused by Motorcycle Crashes in Shahid Rajaee Hospital, Shiraz, Iran in 2013 - 2016

Road traffic injuries (RTIs) are one of the main causes of death and disability throughout the world. In this regard, motorcyclists constitute the most vulnerable groups. By investigating the epidemiological characteristics of motorcycle crashes, we can attain valuable information about research priorities. We decided to conduct this study aiming at determining the epidemiological pattern of RTIs among motorcyclists in Shiraz in 2013 - 2016. In this cross-sectional study, we reviewed all information related to motorcycle crashes that took place in Shiraz from January 2013 to December 2016. The injured motorcyclists were classified according to their age, gender, the severity of the injury, injured region, length of hospital stay, hospital-acquired infections, and the outcomes. We also performed a logistic regression analysis to determine the risk factors for fatality in motorcycle crashes. According to our results, from all motorcycle crashes, 13577 (91.5%) were related to men and 1258 (8.5%) to women. Furthermore, most injured motorcyclists were in the 15 - 29-year-old age group. Crashes mostly occurred on weekends and in warm seasons. A hospital stay of more than one month (OR = 4.93, CI: 2.32 - 10.46) and an ISS of 9 - 15 (OR = 7.56, CI: 3.68 - 15.56) were the most effective risk factors for motorcyclist fatality. According to the study, since most motorcycle crashes involved the youth, enforcing stricter laws and cultural developments towards correcting risky behaviors can be very important in reducing the rates of death and disability.