iCREATE
Increasing Capacity for Injury Research in Eastern Europe
Contact
Dr. Diana Dulf
diana.dulf@ubbcluj.ro
Pandurilor 7 Street, 9th Floor, Room 910, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
TOPIC:
Acute Care
AUTHOR
Ketevan Akhobadze
COUNTRY:
Georgia
Falls are the leading cause of nonfatal injury among young children and a major cause of head injuries, posing a significant risk of long-term consequences and disability. Children under 5 years of age are particularly vulnerable to fall injuries at home. In Georgia, falls account for 34% of all injury cases in the preschool age group. Despite the high prevalence of fall-related injuries among children, evidence on effective prevention strategies remains limited.
The aim of this research was to investigate the epidemiological characteristics of fall-related injuries and analyze trends in hospitalization and mortality among children aged 5 years and younger during the period from 2015 to 2022.
The study comprised two components: a retrospective and a prospective analysis. The retrospective study utilized national databases from the National Center for Disease Control and Public Health of Georgia, including the Electronic Module of Hospitalization and Mortality Registry (2015–2022). For the prospective study, data on fall-related injuries were collected from all emergency department admissions at a multi-profile clinic in Tbilisi over a 6-month period in the recent year. All data were analyzed using SPSS software.
During the study period, a total of 5,979 patients were hospitalized due to fall-related injuries. Males were more susceptible to fall injuries than females, with 38% of hospitalizations occurring during the summer. Among patients in this age group, 67% of all fall injuries occurred at home. Falls at the same level were the most frequent type of injury, accounting for 43.5% of total fall-related hospitalizations. Falls from one level to another—such as from beds, chairs, playground equipment, and other furniture—represented one-third (33.8%) of injuries. Unspecified falls also accounted for a notable proportion of hospitalizations.
The evening was identified as the most hazardous time of day for fall injuries in children. Head injuries were the most common type of injury, occurring in 70% of cases, with intracranial injuries being the predominant cause of hospitalization, accounting for 56.6%. From 2015 to 2022, fall-related hospitalizations increased by 30%.
During the study period, 23 children died as a result of fall-related injuries. The primary cause of death was falls from one level to another. In 56% of cases, fatalities resulted from falls from, out of, or through buildings or structures. In 65% of cases, deaths occurred in the hospital, with all fatalities occurring within the first week of hospitalization.
Conclusion: Fall-related injuries remain a significant public health concern. Environments where children are frequently injured, such as homes and streets, are inadequately safe and require substantial improvements to reduce the incidence of these injuries. Enhancing awareness among caregivers and parents to improve the safety of children’s environments is a critical component of fall injury prevention.
Increasing Capacity for Injury Research in Eastern Europe
Dr. Diana Dulf
diana.dulf@ubbcluj.ro
Pandurilor 7 Street, 9th Floor, Room 910, Cluj-Napoca, Romania