Abstract

Hospital-based data collected in OPD and Emergency of hospitals of Iraq on monthly basis was retrieved from the Ministry of Health and analysed for Incidence rates (IR).

The IR for the violence-related mortality in Iraq in 2007 was 37.63 per 100 000 person year. The major proportion of the fatal injuries during 2007 were gunshots (47%, IR 22.86 per 100 000 people) and explosions (30%, IR 14.77 per 100 000 person year). 59% of the fatal injuries in the capital city, Baghdad, were caused by gunshots (IR 30.84 per 100 000 person year) in 2007, while explosions caused 37% of the fatal injuries in the capital (IR 19.73 per 100 000 person year). Karkuk (explosions, IR 62.96 per 100 000 person year; gunshots, IR 55.09 per 100 000 person year) and Diala (gunshots, IR 53.88 per 100 000 person year; explosions, IR 36.84 per 100 000 person year) were the most affected provinces by the violence-related causes of deaths. The highest IR for road traffic accidents was recorded for Thiqar (IR 11.44 per 100 000 person year).

Violence (gunshots and explosions) in the year 2007 is the highest cause of injury-related mortality in Iraq. Karkuk and Diala were the provinces with the highest violence-related mortality. Age (15–44) was affected most by the violence-related mortality followed by the age group 45–64; gunshots contributed more than explosions. In all of the provinces and in Iraq as whole, males lost their lives more than females due to violence.