In this research project, we define injury as the physical damage caused to any part of the person’s body by intentional or unintentional harm. This study will collect primary injury data from injured patients presenting at ED at participating hospitals in Beirut. Hospital based Emergency Departments data collection presents a vital hub for capturing most injuries occurring in a population. 

Overall Aim: The overarching goal of this research is to conduct a hospital-based Emergency Department injury study in Beirut that applies a systematic method to collect data on the epidemiology and patterns of injury. Injury data collected at EDs will help to pilot test a hospital-based injury surveillance system that quantifies the burden of injury in the country, and subsequently help to develop evidence-based injury prevention programs and initiatives. 

The study will seek to enroll all patients presenting to the emergency departments (ED) of 5 pilot hospitals in Beirut with an injury over a 12-month period. Injury mechanisms will include but are not limited to motor vehicle crashes, falls, violence/assault, and burns. Retrospective data on the host, agent and environment will be systematically collected including demographic and socio-economic data, characteristics of injuries (type, mechanism, location, severity as measured by the injury severity scale [ISS], activity at time of injury), risk factors for injury (e.g. alcohol intake, distracted driving, seatbelt use), and outcome of injury according to the injury pyramid (death, hospitalization, treatment and discharge from ED). Understanding injury epidemiology and associated risk factors in Beirut will help guide prioritization and adaptation of evidence-based primary, secondary and tertiary prevention interventions.

Injured patients presenting at ED at the participating 5 hospitals. 

The study will seek to enroll all patients presenting to the emergency departments (ED) of 3 pilot hospitals in Beirut with an injury over a 6-month period. Injury mechanisms will include but are not limited to motor vehicle crashes, falls, violence/assault, and burns.