engleski

Fatalities caused by weapons and explosive devices among children in Croatia in the pre-war, war and post-war period

PROBLEM UNDER STUDY: The impact of war operations has significantly changed Croatian epidemiological situation related to the deaths caused by weapons or explosive devices. After the aggression to Croatia in 1991 fatalities among children caused by weapons and explosive devices become more frequent comparing with similar fatalities in the pre war period. OBJECTIVES: To present and compare number and share of fatalities caused by weapons and explosive devices among children in the three periods: pre-war 1986-90, during the war 1991-95 and after the war 1996-2002. METHOD OF APPROACH: mortality statistics data (death registers supplied by the Central Bureau of Statistics) were analysed according to two age groups: 0-14 years and 15-19. Age groups and type of violent death (war operations, suicides, murders, and accidents) were parameters used in descriptive statistical analyses. RESULTS: Here we present collective data for the whole group 0-19 years. I. The pre-war period: in the five years period 1986-90 all together 1310 children in Croatia died because of injuries, out of that number 63 died as a consequences of weapons and explosive devices which was 4, 8%. Weapons and explosive devices were cause of 16 accidents out of 1100, which was 1, 5% ; 33 suicides out of 157, which were 21% ; 14 murders out of 53, which were 26, 4%. II. The war period: in the five years period 1991-95 all together 1801 children in Croatia died because of injuries, out of that number 491 died as a consequence of weapons and explosive devices which was 27, 3%. Weapons and explosive devices were cause of: 103 accidents out of 1041, which was 9, 9% ; 104 suicides out of 196, which was 53, 1% ; 46 murders out of 85, which was 54, 1%, 238 deaths out of 287 caused by direct war operations, which was 82, 9%. III. The post-war period: in the seven years period 1996-2002 all together 1392 children in Croatia died because of injuries, out of that number 163 died as a consequence of weapons and explosive devices which was 11, 7%. Weapons and explosive devices were cause of 27 accidents out of 894, which was 3% ; 108 suicides out of 256, which was 42, 2% ; 28 murders out of 58, which was 48, 3%. CONCLUSION: Comparison between the pre-war, the war and the post-war period shows that all types of violent deaths among children in Croatia caused by weapons and explosive devices were significantly lower in the pre-war period. Through the 1991-2002 period the war has had direct and indirect consequences, leading to increased numbers of all types of violent deaths. Although in the post-war period from 1996 percentage of violent deaths among children decreased comparing with the war period we still didn’ t reach pre-war numbers. Among children in Croatia we have noticed: 1. 3% accidents out of all post-war accidents caused by weapons and explosive devices which is twice as much in the pre-war period when the percentage was 1, 5 ; 2. 42, 2% of suicides which is also doubled were done by weapons and explosive devices and 21% in the pre-war period ; 3. in murders we have noticed 48, 3% out of all post-war murders done by weapons and 26.4% in the pre-war period. Our data show how the exposed population suffer because of war and long after finishing atrocities. This problem requires continuous comprehensive multisectoral approach to avoid innocent victims which children evidently are.

fatalities; children; weapons; explosive devices

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