Epidemiology of Trauma in Children and Adolescents Based on Emergency Medical Services (EMS 115) in Shiraz, 2017

Trauma, the most common cause of mortality in children and adolescents, imposes high costs on the community. This study aimed to investigate the epidemiology of trauma in children and adolescents and the risk factors associated with death to provide a clinical model of traumas in terms of the type of injury and to adopt effective preventive interventions. This cross-sectional study was conducted on 12522 children and adolescents based on the data recorded in the Emergency Medical Services (EMS 115) in 2017. The study population consisted of trauma patients who had contacted EMS 115. Then, demographic and clinical variables were analyzed using the Chi-square test and logistic regression model. The results showed that 3448 out of the 12522 participants (27.5%) were female, and 9072 (72.5%) were male. The mean age of the injured people was 11.82±5.33 years. The highest and lowest injuries frequencies were accidents (71.8%) and drowning (22%), respectively. Additionally, the highest frequency of death was related to drowning (25.93%). Furthermore, accidents, combats, falls, and drowning significantly correlated with mortality (P<0.001). Considering the relationship between accidents, combats, falls, drowning, and mortality, it can be concluded that the identification of at risk groups, development of training courses, and adoption of protective measures can help take an effective step toward preventing these types of injuries and declining the frequency of mortality among trauma patients.