Incidence of Blunt Force Trauma Deaths in the Transkei SubRegion of South Africa (1993-2015)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.37506/ijfmt.v14i3.10674Keywords:
blunt, trauma, assault, unnatural, deathAbstract
Background: Trauma is a serious health problem especially when an individual is poor. They cannot reach
hospital timeously, and also could not afford to get a quality of care in hospital. Transkei is the poorest region
in South Africa with poor infrastructure like transport and health care.
Objective: To study the incidence of blunt force trauma deaths in the Transkei sub-region of South Africa.
Method: An autopsy record review study at Forensic Pathology Laboratory at Mthatha over a period of
23-years (1993-2015).
Results: There were 26 855 autopsies were conducted over the period of 23 years. Of this, 2960 (11 %)
deaths are related with blunt force trauma. Majority were males 2477 (9.2%). The male to female ratio is 6:1.
About one-fourth 720 (30.21%) are between 21 and 30 years of age group. The average blunt force trauma
fatalities is 20.2 per 100 000 per year. The highest rate of deaths, 25 per 100 000 has recorded in the year
Conclusion: There has been an increasing trend of deaths as a result of blunt force trauma in the Transkei
sub-region of South Africa. Poverty is probably a major underlying factor in these deaths.
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