Abstract
Road traffic accidents, considered as global tragedies, are in increasing trend; however, the safety situation is very severe in developing countries incurring substantial amount of human, economic, and social costs. Motorcycle crashes, the commonest form, occur mostly in economically active population. However, there is limited number of studies on economic burden of motorcycle crashes. This study aims to estimate the total cost and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) lost due to motorbike accidents among victims of Kathmandu Valley. Retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted among the patients with a history of motorbike accidents within the past 3 to 12 months from the date of data collection. Interview was conducted using pro forma among 100 victims of accidents and their caregiver in case of death from November 15, 2014 to May 15, 2015. Cost estimation of motorbike accident was done based on human capital approach. Data collection tool was pretested, and collected data were analyzed using SPSS and Microsoft Excel. Males (79%) belonging to the economically productive age group shared the highest proportion among total accidents victims. Most common reason for accidents was reported to be poor road condition (41%). Indirect cost was found to be significantly higher than direct costs, highlighting its negative impact on economy of family and nation due to productivity loss. Total DALYs lost per person was found to be 490 years, and national estimation showed large burden of motorbike accidents due to huge DALY loss. For low-resource countries such as Nepal, high economic costs of motorbike accidents can pose additional burden to the fragile health system. These accidents can be prevented, and their consequences can be alleviated. There is an urgent need for reinforcement of appropriate interventions and legislation to decrease its magnitude and its associated grave economic consequences so as to nib this emerging epidemic in the bud.
Highlights
According to World Health Organization, about 1.24 million people die every year as a result of road traffic injuries (RTC), and it is a leading cause of death among young people aged 15–29 years [1]
It is worth to be noted that only those accidents involving deaths, severe injury, or unsolved disputes are reported to the police, while a fairly large number of accidents are settled at the accident site with mutual understanding of both parties, leading to under-representation of accident cases since only reported cases are reflected in national statistics [8, 10]
Out of the total motorcycle accidents of Nepal, more than 50% (56–62%) occurred only in Kathmandu Valley. This justified the selection of Kathmandu Valley for cost estimation of motorbike accidents, and it can represent the true picture of total costs (TCs) sustained in motorbike accidents [3]
Summary
According to World Health Organization, about 1.24 million people die every year as a result of road traffic injuries (RTC), and it is a leading cause of death among young people aged 15–29 years [1]. The annual costs of road traffic crashes in low- and middleincome countries are estimated to be between US$65 and $100 billion, which is more than the total annual amount received for development aid [5]. The estimated annual national loss from road accidents is more than £9 million [6], and a hospital-based study from Nepal showed that a single injury case cost US$ 126.2 [7]. It is estimated that road traffic crashes annually cost between 1 and 1.5% of gross national product in low-income and middleincome countries, putting significant strain on health-care budgets [8]. This study aims to estimate the total cost and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) lost due to motorbike accidents among victims of Kathmandu Valley
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
