Some of the major causes of maxillofacial injuries are assault/
inter-personal violence (IPV), motor vehicle accidents
(MVAs), work-related injuries, sporting accidents and falls.
However, the epidemiological data for the different types of
injury vary significantly and are influenced by geographic
location, socioeconomic status, the time of year when patients
are assessed and the type of facility where the study
is conducted.
The 2012 Statistics South Africa's release document on
'mortality and causes of death in South Africa' indicated that
9.8% of all deaths in South Africa were reported as nonnatural.
Transport accidents were the third most common
(11.2%) reported cause of non-natural deaths followed by
assaults at 10.2%. According to a number of international
studies, the face is the most common site affected by assault-
related trauma.
Substance abuse is a major public health concern in South
Africa and has also been rated as the leading health problem
in the United States. Intoxication is also the most common
denominator associated with violence and injury. In a
Swiss study, Eggensperger found that almost a quarter of
assault-related facial fractures were caused by people intoxicated
with alcohol, illicit drugs or a combination thereof.
This article explores epidemiologic data and relevant information
related to maxillofacial trauma, specifically associated
with alcohol and substance abuse.DHE
