BACKGROUND: India is facing the dual problem of communicable and non-communicable diseases (NCD). Among NCD; injuries is a major public health problem resulting in major socio-economic impact and data regarding this is inadequate. Hence present study was undertaken with an objective to study the patterns of injuries and its socio-economic impact on individual and the family in an urban area.
Methods: Cross sectional study was conducted covering 3003 population by house-house survey. Pre-tested, semi-structured questionnaire was used. Among injured further injury details was obtained.
Results: Prevalence of injuries was 4.93% (95% CI 4.1 to 5.7). Median (IQR) age of injured was 25.5 (12.25-40.75) years. Injuries among 15-59 years were 65.3% and among males were high 66.9%. Based upon external cause, falls was the commonest. Lower limb was common injury site and 46.6% were of severe injuries. Median number of working days lost by injured and by care giver and number of days taken by the injured person to return back to routine activities differed significantly between moderate and severely injured persons. Average amount of direct and indirect expenditure per injury was Rs. 14826 and Rs. 16737 respectively.
Conclusions: Injury prevalence was 4.93%; Commonest type of injuries was falls and road traffic injuries. More severe the injury; higher was the socio-economic impact.