[Traffic accident injuries in Tessin Canton in 1982 and 1985--epidemiology, surgery and socioeconomic aspects].

Abstract

In the paper we present the result of an epidemiological study we conducted upon injuries due to road accidents in Canton Ticino. We reviewed 1471 injured patients during two periods: in 1982 we examined all patients evaluated in the Emergency Room and admitted - if required - in all the Canton Ticino Hospitals. In 1985 we reviewed only patients seen at Ospedale Civico Lugano and patients seen by the police department (SIR) because the lesions were life-threatening. 106 (8%) patients died, 206 (15%) were seriously injured (87 patients with chronic infirmity) and 1062 had slight injuries. The total lesions were 2900 and 839 surgical operations were necessary. These patients needed a 7804 days of hospitalization (677 days in the intensive care unit). Motorcycles represented 46.5% of the involved vehicles. The major risk groups by age are: 14-17 years old (motorcyclist), 18-29 years old (automobilists and motorcyclists), up to 13 and over 60 years of age (pedestrians). The percentage of the total road accidents which occur at the week-end is of 49.4%. At rush/hours (5.00 pm) the percentage of accident is 8.1% (115 accidents) and in the early morning hours the percentage is 5.5% (74 accidents). The annual hospitalization costs amounted to 3,200,000 sFr., whereas the real costs corresponding to production loss, social expenditures (25.737 were the days of disability) and in- and out patient care are as high as 100 million francs.