ROAD TRAFFIC INJURIES AMONG PATIENTS WHO ATTENDED THE ACCIDENT AND EMERGENCY UNIT OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MALAYA MEDICAL CENTRE, KUALA LUMPUR

Abstract

A retrospective cross-sectional study of injury patients who attended the Accident and Emergency Unit was conducted at the University of Malaya Medical Centre. Demographic data with regards to age, sex, race, occupation and the relevant data such as type of accident, type of injury sustained and also severity seen during the month of January 2005 were selected retrospectively from medical record. The objectives were to review road traffic accidents and their severity of injuries among the patients. There were two hundred and forty-three (197 males and 46 females) patients involved: 60% Malays, 16% Chinese, 21% Indians and 3% other ethnic groups. Peak accidents occurred among the 21 to 30 years age group. Among the type of accidents, 65.8% involved motorbike riders, 10.3% car drivers, 8.6% pillion riders, 7.8% car passengers, 5.8% pedestrians and 1.6% were bicycle rider injuries. About 57.6% sustained minor injuries and 42.4% major injuries. There was no significant association between outcome of road traffic accidents and sex, age group and race. However, there was a significant association between type of accidents and severity of injuries (p = 0.014). Males sustained more major injuries and motorbike accidents were the highest among road injuries. Therefore, further prevention and control with emphasis on behavioural changes, education and law enforcement may reduce the number of road traffic accidents in the future.