European journal of epidemiology
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The aim of this study was to estimate the incidence of morbidity and mortality due to injuries in the population over the age of 14 years in Barcelona, Spain. Injury distribution according to sex, age, external cause, place of occurrence of the injury and severity was also obtained. A one-year survey was conducted in the emergency departments of the six main hospitals in Barcelona, based on a multistage sampling. ⋯ Ninety-six percent of injury cases had an ISS value of 8 or less, mean ISS being highest for traffic injuries and falls. Injury morbidity and mortality amongst residents of Barcelona follow sex, age and cause of injury patterns which are, overall, comparable to those observed in other industrialized countries, suggesting that similar etiologic factors might be operating in those areas. The results should enable the orientation of injury prevention policies in the urban environment targeted on the young and the elderly population.