Incidence and factors associated with being a victim of community assault; retrospective review of medical records in an Emergency Centre

INTRODUCTION: Community assault is an interpersonal violence frequently seen in the emergency centres around South Africa. Its aim is to inflict serious injuries to a suspected perpetrator. Data has not been published in Mamelodi Regional Hospital setting whereas the cases have been observed in the emergency centre (EC). The study objectives were to determine the incidence and factors associated with being a victim of community assault in the EC in a regional hospital in Pretoria and clinical outcomes. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of adult patients who were treated for assault in the EC of Mamelodi Regional Hospital between 5 March 2017 and 5 March 2018. EC electronic registries and medical file were used to identify all patients who presented with body injuries due to assault. RESULTS: Only 807 of 1070 medical records had complete data on the exposure variables of study interest. Of the 807 participants who presented with body injury due to assault, 77 (9.544% (95% CI 7.52 to 11.57)) were due to community assault. The majority of the victims were young adults, of male gender and not married. More than half of the participants were unemployed. Young adult age doubled the odds of being a victim of community assault odds ratio (OR) 2.19 (95% CI 1.02 to 4.70). The odds of being a victim of community assault for males were 11 times the odds of females OR 11.30 (95% CI 2.74 to 46.49). Of the 77 victims of community assault, 45 (58%) were admitted, 25 (32%) were discharged after receiving treatment, 6 (8%) refused treatment and 1 (1%) died. DISCUSSION: We describe the incidence of, and factors associated with, community assault in the EC of Mamelodi Regional Hospital in Pretoria. Our findings suggest that a modest incidence rate of being a victim of community assault. Young adult males are mostly the target victims of community and non-community assault. Further research is needed to understanding factors precipitating community assault and to test potential community and non-community assault prevention interventions, targeting young adult males.