Table 10.

Epidemiological studies from Europe – injuries in the general population

Author and date	Type of study/data source	Population (denominator)/size	Level of severity	Epidemiological observation	Major findings	Epidemiological shortcomings
Ekman et al., 2007 [79]	descriptive study/National Statistical Offices; WHO database	general population/98150 Sweden (Boras); 65841 Latvia (Jelgava); 378913 Lithuania (Kaunas); 101140 Estonia (Tartu) Sweden, Baltic States	deaths	rates by gender, crude and standardized, yearly, 3 y average; trends of mortality rates	1990–2002 mortality rates per 100,000: 38 (Boras)/101 (Tartu)/112 (Jelgava)/126 (Kaunas); stable trends in Sweden, increasing rates until 1994, seamed to stabilized after 1997 in Baltic communities; higher rates in males vs. females and in age group under 65 y old in the Baltic communities than in Boras, Sweden.	Data on death only
Buschmann et al., 2008 [86]	descriptive study/German trauma registry	general population (0–55 y) Germany	deaths, hospitalization and A&E	proportions by age, gender, body region, cause, process of care (e.g., length of stay) outcome (died/alive)	1997–2003 children 3% of all patients multiple injured 0–15 y: 61% boys vs. 39% girls; over 70% head injuries 0–55 y: 41.3% RTC, 59.5% thorax injuries	No population based rates, only injuries ISS>16; data focused on children
Tiret et al., 1989 [83]	descriptive study/Hospitals data; deaths certificates	general population/2.7 million Aquitaine, France	deaths, hospitalization	proportions by severity (ISS), cause, type, outcome (eight days still hospitalised/died in hospital); rates by age, gender, cause; non-fatal/fatal rate ratio	1985/1986 136/10,000 all injury incidence rate; 40% falls, 27% traffic accidents, 15% poisonings Origin: suicide 14%, assault or homicide 3%, 82% others	1 year study and one administrative region only
Di Bartolomeo et al., 2004 [78]	descriptive (prospective)study/Friuli Venezia Giulia regional registry	general population/1.2 million Friuli Venezia Giulia Italy	deaths, hospitalization	proportions by age, gender, cause, severity (ISS), process of care (e.g., timing), outcome (died/alive), rates by severity	1998/1999 238 per mil per year mortality rate; 522 per mil per year incidence rate for severe injuries (ISS>15 & pre-hospital deaths); 98.2% blunt injury 81% RTC, 9.1% falls	Only injuries ISS >15; 1 year study and one geographical region only (excludes self inflicted injuries)
Plasencia & Borell 1996 [82]	cross sectional survey/A&E Hospitals questionnaire data; City Death Registry	adults (>14 y)/1.7 million Barcelona; 6 million Catalonia, Spain	deaths, hospitalization and A&E	proportions by age, gender, cause, severity (ISS), type, location; rates age, gender, cause, location; case admission ratio	1990/1991 7470/100,000 all injury rate 1.4 times higher rates in males vs. females, falls as a leading cause; 56/100,000 mortality rate 2 times higher in males vs. females; traffic injuries as leading cause; 4% of all injuries have ISS>8; 1 death:6 admissions:133 A&E	No population based rates of major trauma (ISS>15, 1 year study, and one geographical region only; analysis based on extrapolated data on injuries
Petridou et al., 2004 [80]	descriptive study/Questionnaire data; A&E Injury Surveillance System	adults (>15 y) Greece	hospitalisation, A&E	proportions by age, gender, type; rates by gender, event timing (injury in relation to the interview date)	2001 5.9 per 100 person-year incidence reported within a survey vs. 12.9 per 100 person-year incidence reported from the surveillance system	Major injuries defined as those requiring health care; 1 y study