Trauma is a life-threatening injury that is severe and body altering physical injury caused by external force. Trauma is predictable and wholly preventable, it’s not a random event and it has identifiable causes with established methods of treatment and defined methods of prevention. Traumatic injuries commonly result from motor vehicle crash injuries, falls from height, pedestrian crashes, falling heavy objects, severe burns, stab wounds and assaults.
Figure 13: Proportional Mortality in Qatar (Percentage of Total Deaths, All Ages, Both Sexes)
[Source: WHO Non-communicable Diseases Country Profiles, 2014]
Trauma in Qatar: the facts
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Rollover crashes, unrestrained drivers and backseat passengers, and young male drivers (< 25 years) comprise more than 65 percent of all road traffic injury patients treated at the Hamad Trauma Center
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Work-related injuries make up 40 percent of all Hamad Trauma Center patient admissions, most commonly due to falls, road traffic injuries and falling heavy objects.
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Home injuries mainly affect the very young, less than five years, and the elderly, more than 60 years. These are most commonly falls, burns and drowning.
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Every year, the Hamad Trauma Center admits up to 900 patients with severe road traffic injuries.
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Approximately one in 11 trauma patients seen at the Hamad Trauma Centre is a child victim with a road traffic injury.
