The epidemiology of traumatic musculoskeletal injuries in Kuwait: Prevalence and associated risk factors

OBJECTIVES: Epidemiological explorations of traumatic injuries are essential to provide benchmarks for future planning to address multidimensional challenges. The study aimed to describe the epidemiology of traumatic musculoskeletal injuries in Kuwait, including their prevalence and associated risk factors. METHODS: The Orthopedic Admission Database of a level II trauma center in Kuwait was retrospectively reviewed from January 2018 to February 2020. Traumatic fractures of the spine and upper and lower limbs were explored. RESULTS: The study included 564 patients with 788 traumatic injuries who were 33.0 (23.0) years of age (median and interquartile range): 78.0% were male, and 43% were Kuwaitis. Spinal fractures were the most prevalent injury, at 21.7%, followed by tibial fractures, at 11.3%, and ankle fractures, at 10.2%. Road traffic accidents were the leading mechanism of injury, at 37.9%, followed by falling over and falling from height, at 29.3% and 16.8%, respectively. Risk factors included injury mechanism, nationality, and age (p < 0.05). Road traffic accidents were at risk for sustaining spinal, scapular, clavicle, humeral, pelvic, hip, tibial, and fibular fractures; those for falling over were radial, ulnar, femoral, and patellar fractures; and those for falling from height were foot and ankle fractures. Kuwaitis were found to be at risk of spinal, humeral, pelvic and femoral fractures, whereas non-Kuwaitis were found to be at risk of scapular, shoulder, elbow, ulnar, radial, hip, patellar, tibial, fibular, foot, and ankle fractures. The age range of 19–49 years was associated with the highest risk for all fracture sites. CONCLUSION: Epidemiological characteristics of traumatic injuries in Kuwait have been determined to guide preventive strategies and healthcare planning.