Injury rate in the pediatric population of Saint Petersburg

Abstract

Introduction. The injury rate in children remains an urgent and unresolved problem in the field of medicine. In recent years, the average injury rate in 0- to 17-year-old children is 116–118 injuries per 1000 children of the corresponding population in Russia. Aim. The study aimed to analyze the injury rates in the children in St. Petersburg in 2016 and to compare them with the injury rates of previous years and those of children in Russia. Material and methods. Based on state statistics, the indices of injury rate in the children in St. Petersburg in 2016 were evaluated. The disability in children as a result of external actions and the activities of medical and preventive institutions for providing specialized care to children with injuries were also investigated. Results and discussion. A new form of reporting by Rosstat enabled the clarification of the data with respect to the nature of the injuries and the number of bone fractures in various locations of the body in accordance with the XIX class of the ICD-10, as well as with respect to the morbidity and mortality in children owing to external causes (class XX of the ICD) that include road-traffic accidents and physical abuse. Conclusions. The rate of injury in children aged 0–14 years decreased when compared with that suggested by the previous year’s data. Further, in adolescents aged 15–17 years, the rate of injury was significantly higher than the average rate in Russia. The disability in children as a result of external actions has decreased. However, the prevention of child injuries in St. Petersburg, especially in adolescents, remains an urgent medical and social problem.