A report released by the Ministry of Health today revealed that trauma represents 9% of mortality worldwide, making it a threat to public health in all countries.

The Ministry of Health reported, drawing on its RETRACE system, that every year more than five million deaths are caused around the world by injuries from accidents, whether traffic accidents, drowning, falls or burns, or acts of violence, such as aggression, self-inflicted violence or acts of war. Millions of people survive these incidents, but continue to experience trauma in the aftermath.

A first report of RETRACE, published by the Ministry, examined an exhaustive survey of data on injuries in Luxembourg in 2013, integrating mortality data from the register of causes of death. It found that in Luxembourg, as in Europe, injuries are the fourth leading cause of death and the first cause of death among children, adolescents and young adults.

Other key points revealed that 261 people die annually by a traumatic cause; meaning on average a case every 34 hours. 235 medical consultations for trauma emergencies and 17 hospitalizations were also reported, as well as approximately 60,000 annual emergency room visits where 170 per day were due to trauma, indicating 1 in 10 residents every year. The annual costs for hospitalisations were estimated at €50 million.

Domestic and leisure accidents were also found to outstrip those of work, sports and traffic as the situation of life with the most injuries. Seniors and youth and young adults are particularly at risk.

These findings indicated that accident prevention should be made a priority target, and the Ministry of Health has collaborated with the Luxembourg Institute of Health (LIH) and emergency hospitals to implement the RETRACE trauma monitoring system.

The systen is employed at the emergency services of hospitals, and forms part of the European Injury Database (IDB) method, currently applied by 26 countries. RETRACE allows those involved in the system to:

 - Collect information on the annual number of accidents
 - Gain knowledge on the places and circumstances of accidents
 - Identify the severity of accidents and their consequences
 - Study the most affected populations
 - Analyse objects and materials involved in accidents
 - Measure the impact at the individual, social and economic level of accidents and injuries
 - Implement appropriate prevention and promotion policy
 - Assess the impact of this policy on the accident

Partner hospitals of RETRACE are Centre Hospitalier de Luxembourg (CHL); Centre Hospitalier Emile Mayrisch (CHEM); Centre Hospitalier du Nord; Hôpital du Kirchberg; and ZithaKlinik.

 

Photo by EUROSTAT