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Injury-related mortality in South Africa: a retrospective descriptive study of postmortem investigations.
- Source :
-
Bulletin of the World Health Organization . May2015, Vol. 93 Issue 5, p303-313. 11p. 1 Illustration. - Publication Year :
- 2015
-
Abstract
- Objective To investigate injury-related mortality in South Africa using a nationally representative sample and compare the results with previous estimates. Methods We conducted a retrospective descriptive study of medico-legal postmortem investigation data from mortuaries using a multistage random sample, stratified by urban and non-urban areas and mortuary size. We calculated age-specific and age-standardized mortality rates for external causes of death. Findings Postmortem reports revealed 52 493 injury-related deaths in 2009 (95% confidence interval, CI: 46 930-58 057). Almost half (25 499) were intentionally inflicted. Age-standardized mortality rates per 100 000 population were as follows: all injuries: 109.0 (95% CI: 97.1-121.0); homicide 38.4 (95% CI: 33.8-43.0; suicide 13.4 (95% CI: 11.6-15.2) and road-traffic injury 36.1 (95% CI: 30.9-41.3). Using postmortem reports, we found more than three times as many deaths from homicide and road-traffic injury than had been recorded by vital registration for this period. The homicide rate was similar to the estimate for South Africa from a global analysis, but road-traffic and suicide rates were almost fourfold higher. Conclusion This is the first nationally representative sample of injury-related mortality in South Africa. It provides more accurate estimates and cause-specific profiles that are not available from other sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Subjects :
- *CONFIDENCE intervals
*DROWNING
*ACCIDENTAL falls
*FIELDWORK (Educational method)
*FIRES
*HOMICIDE
*POISONING
*SUICIDE
*TRAFFIC accidents
*FUNERAL industry
*DATA analysis
*ACQUISITION of data
*HUMAN research subjects
*RETROSPECTIVE studies
*SEVERITY of illness index
*PATIENT selection
*ADVERSE health care events
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 00429686
- Volume :
- 93
- Issue :
- 5
- Database :
- Academic Search Index
- Journal :
- Bulletin of the World Health Organization
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 102774302
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.2471/BLT.14.145771