PROMETNE NESREĆE KAO UZROK MORTALITETA DJECE I ADOLESCENATA U REPUBLICI HRVATSKOJ U RAZDOBLJU OD 2005. DO 2015. GODINE

Objective: The main objective of this study was to determine mortality rates of children and adolescents in the Republic of Croatia between 2005-2015 due to traffic accidents and to analyze differences between age groups, sexes and types of accidents. Materials and methods: This work was organised as a cross-sectional research. Mortality data used in this study were obtained from the Croatian bureau of statistics and it included people who died in traffic accidents in Croatia between 2005 and 2015. Data about child and adolescent mortality was extracted and analyzed to compare age groups, sex groups and types of accidents. Age-specific mortality rates were calculated to compare the beginning and end of the time period and to compare differences in age groups. Age-standardized mortality rates were calculated to compare sex groups. Results: In the period between 2005 and 2015 a total of 577 children and adolescents died in traffic accidents in Croatia. Out of 577 children and adolescents who died, 434 (75%) were male and 143 (25%) were female. Most of the deaths occurred in 15-19 age group. Age-specific mortality rates dropped from 8.1:100 000 (Confidence interval 6.4-9.8) in 2005 to 4.2:100 000 (Confidence interval 2.8-5.6). Age-specific mortality rate was highest in 15-19 age group and it was 14.4:100 000 (Confidence interval 13.0-15.8). Age-specific mortality rate was 2.2:100 000 (Confidence interval 1.6-2.8) for 0-4 age group, 2.2:100 000 (Confidence interval 2.2-2.8) for 5-9 age group and 2.2:100 000 (Confidence interval 1.7-2.8) for 10-14 age group. Statistically significant difference was found between sex groups. Age-standardized mortality rate in male group was 7.8:100 00 (Confidence interval 7.1-8.6), while it was 2.8:100 000 (Confidence interval 2.3-3.2) in female group. When discussing types of accidents, traffic accidents in vehicle were the most important cause of death. Age-specific mortality rate of traffic accidents in the vehicle was 4.1:100 000 (Confidence interval 2.8-4.5). In male group it was 6.4:100 000 (Confidence interval 5.7-7.0), and 1.8:100 000 (Confidence interval 1.4-2.2) in the female group. Conclusion: Although progress has been made in Croatia in child and adolescent safety in traffic during the period between 2005 and 2015, additional education and preventive actions are needed to continue the trend of reducing deaths in traffic, especially in vulnerable groups: males and adolescents aged 15-19.