TY - JOUR
T1 - Analysis of Trauma Injuries Among the Minority Population in Southern Israel—a District-Wide Study
AU - Cherki, Mordechai
AU - Frenkel, Amit
AU - Hassan, Lior
AU - Klassov, Yuri
AU - Bloom, Shlomo
AU - David, Czeiger
AU - Shaked, Gad
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2022, W. Montague Cobb-NMA Health Institute.
PY - 2022/1/1
Y1 - 2022/1/1
N2 - Background: We compared characteristics of traumatic injury between the Bedouin subpopulation, the largest minority group in southern Israel, and the other residents in this region. Methods: We assessed all the patients admitted with traumatic injuries during 2014–2018 to the only regional hospital in southern Israel. Results: The cohort comprised 10,734 patients, 4553 (42.5%) of Bedouin origin. Compared to the non-Bedouin subpopulation, in the Bedouin subpopulation, the proportion of injuries that occurred in males was higher, 74.3% vs. 53.7%, P < 0.001, and the proportion of burn injuries that occurred in children aged 0–14 years was higher, 84% vs. 49%. Among the Bedouin and non-Bedouin patients, the respective proportions with penetrating injuries were 10.7 and 5.4%; the respective proportions who arrived at the hospital by private vehicles were 62.0 and 33.1%. In multivariate analysis, the variables that were significant for increased odds for severe trauma were Bedouin origin, male gender, and arrival to the emergency room at night. Conclusion: This study highlights the lack of access to basic infrastructure and healthcare among Bedouins in southern Israel. The high proportion of penetrating injuries in this subpopulation is apparently due to explosions of unexploded ordnance. The unavailability of electricity and waste removal in unrecognized villages contributes to burn injuries among Bedouin children. Poor accessibility of healthcare facilities and emergency medical transportation necessitates travel to hospitals by private car. The findings should direct trauma prevention programs to reduce burn and penetrating injuries and to increase accessibility to healthcare.
AB - Background: We compared characteristics of traumatic injury between the Bedouin subpopulation, the largest minority group in southern Israel, and the other residents in this region. Methods: We assessed all the patients admitted with traumatic injuries during 2014–2018 to the only regional hospital in southern Israel. Results: The cohort comprised 10,734 patients, 4553 (42.5%) of Bedouin origin. Compared to the non-Bedouin subpopulation, in the Bedouin subpopulation, the proportion of injuries that occurred in males was higher, 74.3% vs. 53.7%, P < 0.001, and the proportion of burn injuries that occurred in children aged 0–14 years was higher, 84% vs. 49%. Among the Bedouin and non-Bedouin patients, the respective proportions with penetrating injuries were 10.7 and 5.4%; the respective proportions who arrived at the hospital by private vehicles were 62.0 and 33.1%. In multivariate analysis, the variables that were significant for increased odds for severe trauma were Bedouin origin, male gender, and arrival to the emergency room at night. Conclusion: This study highlights the lack of access to basic infrastructure and healthcare among Bedouins in southern Israel. The high proportion of penetrating injuries in this subpopulation is apparently due to explosions of unexploded ordnance. The unavailability of electricity and waste removal in unrecognized villages contributes to burn injuries among Bedouin children. Poor accessibility of healthcare facilities and emergency medical transportation necessitates travel to hospitals by private car. The findings should direct trauma prevention programs to reduce burn and penetrating injuries and to increase accessibility to healthcare.
KW - Bedouins
KW - Burns
KW - Emergency room
KW - Injury
KW - Minority
KW - Trauma
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85129084459&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s40615-021-01134-0
DO - 10.1007/s40615-021-01134-0
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85129084459
JO - Journal of racial and ethnic health disparities
JF - Journal of racial and ethnic health disparities
SN - 2197-3792
ER -