Injury surveillance at a level 1 trauma centre in Johannesburg, South Africa

Abstract

An analysis of 16 357 trauma patients seen over a one year period at the trauma casualty of an academic hospital in Johannesburg was carried out to determine the profile of injuries sustained by victims in the Johannesburg region. A retrospective survey was conducted between January and December 2001 to compile a composite trauma morbidity and mortality profile, and to create baseline data for future comparison. The objectives of the survey were: to describe the frequencies, distribution and categories of injuries; to assess, on admission to the trauma casualty, the severity of injuries according to the TRISS method; and the outcomes and/or placement of patients after initial treatment in the trauma casualty. Guided by a structured checklist, data were collected by reviewing trauma registers and patients' documents. The TRISS method was used to determine injury severity and descriptive statistics were used to present and describe the results., A preview of the survey results indicates.