Epidemiology of assaultive injuries in areas of Sichuan province, China.

OBJECTIVE: To scrutinize the epidemiological characteristics of assaultive injuries in Sichuan province, China. METHODS: A survey of all cases of assaultive injuries reported by police was performed during 8 years in eight counties of Sichuan province, China. A total of 2862 victims and 2856 offenders were registered. RESULTS: The majority of victims and offenders were young men at the age of 20-39 and only received an education at secondary school or primary school. The largest fraction of these cases took place at farm or by-place during 10.00-11.00 o'clock, 16.00-17.00 o'clock and 20.00-21.00 o'clock. The tangles caused by trifles were the most common factors inducing assaultive injuries and accounted for 42.1 percent of the causes of assaults. Blunt injuries were mainly caused by punching (40%) and kicking (17.2%). About 37.3% of the lesions seriously happened in the regions of face and head. Open wounds accounted for 40.3% of these different injuries. CONCLUSIONS: It is valuable to take some specific measures to prevent and control assaultive injuries according to their territorial characteristics.