A SURVEY ON EPIDEMIOLOGICAL AND DEMOGRAPHIC ASPECTS OF PEDESTRIAN ROAD ACCIDENT VICTIMS IN SHOHADA REFERRAL UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL, EAST AZERBAIJAN PROVINCE

Pedestrians are the most sustainable category among user groups of roads. The present study aims to describe some of the epidemiological and demographic aspects of pedestrian road accident victims injured in road traffic accidents (RTAs) in the Shohada Referral University Hospital, East Azerbaijan province. This cross-sectional study was conducted on 177 pedestrians injured by motor vehicles in the RTAs and were hospitalized at Shohada University Hospital during May 2013 to April 2014. The investigated variables included: demographic and environmental characteristic of accidents related to the injured pedestrian. Descriptive indices such as mean± SD, frequency (percentage) and analytical statistics of Chi-square test were used. The mean age in the surveyed victims was 14.26±40.05 (SD) years. Men were 86.4% of the total victims. And 27.7% of the victims had elementary education; 22.6% were illiterate; 27.8% of the victims were self-employed and 16.5% were workers. Economic status among injured pedestrians was 13.29±32.46. Also, 43.5% of the victims had lower extremity injuries and 31.64% were injuries to more than two organs. As well, 59.32% of pedestrians were injured in two-sided streets and 37.3% of accidents occurred during 6-12 pm. and 80.8% of the injuries happened during working days of the week. Considering weather condition, the higher proportion of accidents with 66.1% occurred in sunny days and 70.1% during day time. Also, pedestrian status during accidents, 46.9% of pedestrians were in moving and admissible line. There was significant association between type of job and site of the body injury. (P<0.05). The results of the present study showed that prevention and management of pedestrian injuries needs appropriate implementation from both individuals and the environment.