[Analysis on the long-term trend of injury related deaths in Macheng of Hubei province, 1974-2008].

OBJECTIVE: To study the long-term trend of injury related deaths, the distribution of causes of injuries as well as disease burden in Macheng city, Hubei province, in 1974 - 2008. METHODS: Data was gathered from vital statistics and registration system of Macheng city which was established in 1974. Data related to Cause Eliminated Life Expectancy (CELE), years of potential life lost (YPLL) and proportion of YPLL on total deaths were calculated. RESULTS: The injury death rates varied between 62.64/100 000 and 154.97/100 000 during that 35 years. In males and females, injury death rates varied between 69.16/100 000 - 163.86/100 000 and 55.34/100 000 - 157.35/100 000, respectively. Death rates on injury in males exceeded those of females. The average infant injury mortality was 770.13/100 000, stayed the highest in all of the age groups. In terms of geographic region, death rate showed the highest in the hilly area (37.03/100 000), followed by mountainous area (33.66/100 000) and the rate was lowest in the plain area (31.43/100 000). In terms of causes of deaths, suicide, drowning, suffocation, traffic accident and fall were the five top causes of injury, accounting for 84.26% of all the injury mortality. The mortality of suicide showed highest in the injury mortality accounting for 48.14% of all the injury mortality. Injury was the main causes of death among children and youths. The mortality of injury was the highest in people aged from 15 to 29 years, with 59.38% in males and 62.26% in females. Injury eliminated life expectancy increased while the YPLL due to injury decreased, annually. CONCLUSION: Although the trends of mortality rates on injuries were declining over the past 10 years, it remained high in figures. The main causes of injury shifted around, but suicide had always been the main cause over the years, in different age groups, sex or terrains. The death rate of traffic accident was increasing. Effective control strategies should be formulated based on the caused of death related to injuries and among the high-risk populations.