Trends and Characteristics of Head and Neck Injury from Falls: A hospital based study, Qatar

Objectives: The aim of this retrospective descriptive hospital-based study was to determine the trend in the number, incidence and pattern of head and neck injuries involved with falls.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was carried out of 1,952 patients who were treated at the Accident and Emergency and Trauma centres of Hamad Medical Corporation, Qatar, for head (n = 1,629), neck (n = 225) and both (n = 98) injuries during the period 2001-2006. Head and neck injuries were determined according to the International Classification of Disease, ICD-10 criteria. Details of all the trauma patients who were involved in falls were extracted from the database of the Emergency Medical Services (EMS), Hamad Medical Corporation.

Results: The majority of the victims were non-Qataris (78.6%), men (86.6%) and in the age group 20-29 years (26.8%). There was a disproportionately higher incidence of head and neck injuries from falls during weekends (27.1%). Nearly half of the head and neck injuries from falls occurred at work (49.4%). Neck injuries (10.2%) were more severe than head injuries (7.3%). The incidence rate of head and neck injuries per 10,000 population increased from 2.1 in the year 2001 to 5.5 in 2006, particularly among the elderly population above 60 years of age (13.1 in 2003 to 18.6 in the year 2006). Superficial injury to the head (29.4%) was more common among trauma patients.

Conclusion: The present study findings revealed that the incidence of head and neck injuries was higher among young adults and the elderly population.