Are animal-related injuries in rural areas a social problem? A survey from Poland

Objective. The aim of this study was to analyze the mechanisms of animal-related injuries in Polish rural areas, and to evaluate the effects of such injuries on subjects’ health and social life. Materials and method. Data concerning animal-related injuries were collected from 102 patients (45 females and 57 males, mean age 45.01±11.4 years) on the basis of a questionnaire. The study was conducted in the rural area of central Poland. Moreover, to assess the severity of injuries to the head and neck region, the Facial Injury Severity Scale (FISS) was applied. Results. The most commonly affected body areas are the upper and lower limbs, which explains the fact that most subjects do not recognize the injury-related deformity as an aesthetic defect.Statistical correlations were observed in several aspects, amongst others: – women were significantly more likely than men to consider undergoing surgical procedures to eliminate/reduce posttraumatic deformities and scars (p<0.05); – injury-related deterioration in appearance resulted in limitations of patients’ social life (p<0.0001).