The characteristics of assaulted victims presented to a university emergency department: Can head trauma in male patients be considered a clue for assaults?

backgroundViolence is a common issue without an exact number worldwide. The types are interpersonal, spousal, or domestic violence. We aim to reveal the demographic characteristics of cases involving violence, mechanisms of injury, and their relationship with head and face trauma.

methodsThe files of patients presented to our University Hospital Adult Emergency Department (ED) between January 2018 and December 2020 after an assault were reviewed retrospectively. The data were analyzed with SPSS 20.0. The demographic findings, injury mechanisms, and affected areas were reported. The Chi-square test tested the differences between the groups, and p<0.05 was considered significant.

resultsAmong the 1280 patients presented after an assault, 71% were male with a median age of 32 (IQR 25-43). In 84% of the cases, the perpetrators were unknown, while their spouses were the perpetrators in 9% of the cases. The place was most noted as home (11%). The methods used were struggling (43%) and punching (42%). The most common affected area was the head (70%) and diagnosis for nasal fracture (4%); two patients had epidural bleeding, and one had a pneumothorax. Males were more common in the 20-40 age groups (χ2, p=0.003). Most of the female victims were battered by their spouses (χ2, p<0.001). Head injury was found in 83% of patients with high blood alcohol levels (χ2, p<0.001) and 75% of male patients had head injuries (χ2, p<0.001).

conclusionAssault is a common problem predominantly among young males. The most commonly affected body part was the head, and nasal fractures were the diagnosis. Most of the patients with high blood levels were among the male victims. The perpetrator of the female victims was their spouses. In the ED, male patients who presented with head trauma were considered as assault victims.