Assessment Of Childhood Trauma And Mechanisms Of Occurrence At The Trauma Emergency Room Of A Tertiary Hospital In Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria

Abstract

Introduction: Childhood trauma is a significant public health concern, with lasting impacts on a child's physical and emotional well-being. Trauma emergency rooms serve as critical entry points for injured children, offering a unique opportunity for identification and intervention. This study aimed to assess the epidemiology and mechanisms of childhood trauma at the emergency department of a tertiary hospital in Benin City.

Methodology: A retrospective study was conducted at the UBTH trauma unit, reviewing medical records from children under 17 years old with trauma-related injuries between July 1st, 2018, and September 30th, 2023 (five years). Data collected include demographics (age, sex, ethnicity, religion), mechanism of injury, type of injury sustained, hospitalization rate, and Glasgow Coma Score. Data analysis was done using IBM SPSS version 27.

Results: The study revealed that out of the 911 patients identified, the majority involved children aged 6-9 years old (327;35.9%), and 1-5 years (24;27.3%) with a male predominance (512;56.2%). The Bini ethnic group (432;47.4%) and Christianity (887;97.4%) were the most prevalent. Road traffic accidents (412;45.2%) were the leading mechanism of injury, followed by falls (247;27.1%), and burns (107 ;11.7%). Head injuries (490;53.8%) and fractures (293;32.2%) were the most common injuries sustained.

Conclusion: This study revealed that Road traffic accidents and falls were the main causes of childhood trauma, resulting primarily in head injuries and fractures. Seasonal variations were observed in the distribution of childhood trauma with a significant proportion of injuries occurring during the COVID-19 lockdown.