Cost analysis of patients admitted to the emergency department following accidents according to their epidemiologic and demographic factors in southeastern of Iran

Introduction: Road traffic accidents (RTAs) are among the leading causes of death worldwide. Epidemiological analysis of traffic accidents can provide information for future plans to lower the cost and burden of RTAs. We aimed to determine the epidemiological characteristics of patients with RTAs in a trauma center in southeastern Iran.Method: All patients who referred to the Emergency Department of Bahonar Hospital in the city of Kerman due to RTAs, during the year 2016 were investigated. A checklist including variables such as age, sex, month in which the patient referred, final outcome, overall cost and the site of injury was used to collect data. The diagnostic criteria were in accordance to ICD 10. Results: Of the total of 3277 patients who were studied, 2713 (82.78%) were men and 564 (16.66%) were women. Most of the accidents occurred in the age group of 16-30 years and the average cost of treatment in hospital was 2152.45 USD. Also, the most affected area was the lower limb. Majority of accidents occurred in spring and summer. Ninety (2.74%) injured patients died. Conclusion: Injuries and deaths due to (RTAs) are a major public health problem in this country, especially in young age groups. Therefore, more preventive programs targeting young adults should be considered to reduce the burden of RTAs.

Keywords:

Epidemiological , Cost Analysis , Hospital , Accident