Incidence Of Road Traffic Injuries Research Articles

Incidence and pattern of road traffic injuries in tribal population of Jharkhand: One-year study in a tertiary care teaching hospital.

Background and Aim:Road traffic injuries (RTIs) are a leading cause of mortality and morbidity globally. This study aimed to assess the incidence and pattern of RTIs in the tribal population of Jharkhand.Methods and Materials:This prospective observational study was conducted for a period of 1 year (June 2018 to May 2019) at the Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences, Ranchi, Jharkhand. A pretested semi-structured questionnaire was administered. A total of 1713 road traffic accident (RTA) victims belonging to tribal population were interviewed during the study period. Data were entered in a Microsoft Excel sheet and analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 16.Results:There were 1258 (73.4%) males and 455 (26.6%) females. The majority (31.4%) of patients belonged to the age group of 21–30 years, followed by 19.2% in the age group of 31–40 years. The majority (52.13%) of RTAs involved a two-wheeler vehicle. Head injury was the most common type of injury (40.86%), followed by lower limb injury (26.68%). Common upper limb injuries were in the humerus and radius and ulna region. The majority of lower limb injuries involved tibia and femur. Common thoracic-abdomen injuries were soft tissue injury and lung contusion. Drunk driving (alcohol influence) was seen in 34.68% of cases of RTI.Conclusions:RTA is a major public health problem which needs to accelerate the efforts of road safety preventive measures. Road safety education should be promoted.

Area-Wide Traffic-Calming Zone 30 Policy of Japan and Incidence of Road Traffic Injuries Among Cyclists and Pedestrians.

Objectives. To quantify the impact of the "Zone 30" policy introduced in September 2011 on the incidence of cyclist and pedestrian injuries in Japan.Methods. This was an interrupted time-series study. We used the data of cyclist and pedestrian injuries recorded by the Japanese police between 2005 and 2016. We evaluated the monthly number of deaths and serious injuries per person-time on narrow roads (width < 5.5 m, subjected to the policy) compared with that on wide roads (≥ 5.5 m) to control for secular trends. We regressed the injury rate ratio on 2 predictors: the numbers of months after January 2005 and after September 2011. Using the regression results, we estimated the number of deaths and serious injuries prevented.Results. There were 266 939 deaths and serious injuries. By 2016, the cumulative changes in the rate ratio spanned from -0.26 to -0.046, depending on sex and age, and an estimated number of 1704 (95% confidence interval = 1293, 2198) injuries were prevented.Conclusions. The policy had a large preventive impact on cyclist and pedestrian deaths and serious injuries at the national level.

Road traffic injury happened on the way to school, among primary and secondary school students in Mengzi city, Honghe prefecture, Yunnan province in 2018

Objective: To understand the current situation of road traffic injuries among primary and secondary school students in Mengzi city. Methods: Using the cluster random sampling method, more than 9 000 primary and secondary school students from 20 primary and secondary schools in Mengzi city, were randomly sampled. A questionnaire survey was conducted on the occurrence of road traffic injuries in school students. Results: A total of 9 197 students were surveyed, including 150 from road traffic injuries. The incidence rates of road traffic injuries was 1.63% among students in Mengzi city and 2.85% among junior high school students, with the high incidence in May. The leading places of injuries were village roads (38.00%), city roads (33.33%) and district roads (12.67%), respectively. 26.67% of the traffic injuries occurred on the way to or from schools, with riding on electric bicycle (52.00%) as the major cause and contusion/abrasion (75.33%) appeared as the major signs. Both lower and upper limbs plus multiple parts were accounting for 45.51%, 22.16% and 16.17%, respectively of all the injuries. 70.67% of all the cases with road traffic injuries in children, recovered after treatment. Children with road traffic injuries would stay in the hospital for up to 90 days but spent less than 30 000 Yuan. Conclusion: The incidence of road traffic injuries among students in Mengzi city seemed relatively high, with junior high school students reached the highest. Riding electric bicycle appeared as the leading cause for traffic injuries in children in Mengzi city of Yunnan province.

An Analysis of the Economic Burden of the Trauma Services at a Level 1 Public Sector Trauma Center in South Asia.

Background:Incidence of road traffic injuries (RTIs) is increasing and accounting for country's 3% gross domestic product. It is crucial to perform a cost analysis of trauma systems to allocate resources judiciously.Aim and Objectives:To study the economic burden of trauma care on the patient attending a level I trauma center including stratification of costs according to injury.Materials and Methods:This is a prospective study, with patients of polytrauma (Injury Severity Score >16) admitted in the center. Cost analysis (cost descriptive study) was done by calculating direct costs to hospital by bottom-up microcosting considering fixed and recurrent costs including reference unit prices (RUPs). According to the anatomical site of injuries, major injury groups (MIGs) costs were also analyzed.Results:The demographics including mode of injury were similar to other studies. The RUP's and MIG's were defined which represented majority of the sample size. Due to highly subsidized nature of services in this Government institute, the cost to patient is less compared to other countries. Still, the total expenditure incurred by the low-income group was higher than the minimum wages at that time. The creation of plausible RUP's and the grouping of MIG's can help in reducing the costs by targeting and implementing strategic cost reduction measures.Conclusion:The study has shown that microcosting is feasible. Considering the low-income population demanding trauma services, further efforts are required to reduce costs substantially.

Physical and cognitive functions affecting road traffic injuries among senior drivers

BackgroundThe size of elderly populations is growing in most areas of the world. The Thai Eleventh National Economic and Social Development Plan revealed an increase in the elderly, while numbers of younger, working-age adults decreased. Thailand has become an aging society since 2015, which is significant in that senior adults have a higher risk of involvement in motor vehicle accidents and are more susceptible to injuries and fatalities. This study investigated the role of physical and cognitive function with regard to road traffic injury in senior drivers. MethodsA community survey was carried out among people aged 60 years and older in the villages representing four regions of Thailand. Face-to-face interviews and anthropometric measurements were used to gather data including individual characteristics, medical history, risk behaviors, cognitive function and traffic injury within the last 12 months. Associations between risk factors and injury were assessed by the chi-square tests, and comparison of the cognitive function score between the injury and non-injury groups was identified using the independent t-test. ResultsA total of 314 completed questionnaires were used for analysis. Ten percent of respondents had experienced a road traffic injury in the last 12 months. Analysis revealed that level of cognitive function, smoking behavior and been diagnosed with arthritis were associated with road traffic injury incidence in senior drivers (p-value < 0.05). ConclusionResults revealed the potential need for strategies to increase road traffic safety in senior drivers. Special protection should be prioritized for the elderly with physical and cognitive impairment.

Applying the capture-recapture method to estimate road traffic deaths and injuries in three non-contiguous cities in the Philippines

ABSTRACTIn establishing goals for the Philippine road safety plan, police data were used. Police reports are likely underreporting. We apply capture-recapture analysis to determine expansion factors and estimate the true incidence. Three cities were visited where data on deaths (2014) and injury (January–March 2014) from hospitals, police and civil registry were collected. Matching was done to generate a final list of injured and dead individuals. The Chapman method was used for estimating the true number of cases. Police data exhibited underreporting in all site. Expansion factors of the police data range from 5.4 to 29× for deaths and 3.2 to 47× for non-fatal injuries. Expansion factors are likely useful to estimate the true incidence of road traffic injuries in areas with weak injury surveillance systems such as the Philippines.

Estimating the global incidence of traumatic brain injury.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI)-the "silent epidemic"-contributes to worldwide death and disability more than any other traumatic insult. Yet, TBI incidence and distribution across regions and socioeconomic divides remain unknown. In an effort to promote advocacy, understanding, and targeted intervention, the authors sought to quantify the case burden of TBI across World Health Organization (WHO) regions and World Bank (WB) income groups. Open-source epidemiological data on road traffic injuries (RTIs) were used to model the incidence of TBI using literature-derived ratios. First, a systematic review on the proportion of RTIs resulting in TBI was conducted, and a meta-analysis of study-derived proportions was performed. Next, a separate systematic review identified primary source studies describing mechanisms of injury contributing to TBI, and an additional meta-analysis yielded a proportion of TBI that is secondary to the mechanism of RTI. Then, the incidence of RTI as published by the Global Burden of Disease Study 2015 was applied to these two ratios to generate the incidence and estimated case volume of TBI for each WHO region and WB income group. Relevant articles and registries were identified via systematic review; study quality was higher in the high-income countries (HICs) than in the low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Sixty-nine million (95% CI 64-74 million) individuals worldwide are estimated to sustain a TBI each year. The proportion of TBIs resulting from road traffic collisions was greatest in Africa and Southeast Asia (both 56%) and lowest in North America (25%). The incidence of RTI was similar in Southeast Asia (1.5% of the population per year) and Europe (1.2%). The overall incidence of TBI per 100,000 people was greatest in North America (1299 cases, 95% CI 650-1947) and Europe (1012 cases, 95% CI 911-1113) and least in Africa (801 cases, 95% CI 732-871) and the Eastern Mediterranean (897 cases, 95% CI 771-1023). The LMICs experience nearly 3 times more cases of TBI proportionally than HICs. Sixty-nine million (95% CI 64-74 million) individuals are estimated to suffer TBI from all causes each year, with the Southeast Asian and Western Pacific regions experiencing the greatest overall burden of disease. Head injury following road traffic collision is more common in LMICs, and the proportion of TBIs secondary to road traffic collision is likewise greatest in these countries. Meanwhile, the estimated incidence of TBI is highest in regions with higher-quality data, specifically in North America and Europe.

Distribution of Trauma Care Facilities in Oman in Relation to High-Incidence Road Traffic Injury Sites: Pilot study.

Road traffic injuries (RTIs) are considered a major public health problem worldwide. In Oman, high numbers of RTIs and RTI-related deaths are frequently registered. This study aimed to evaluate the distribution of trauma care facilities in Oman with regards to their proximity to RTI-prevalent areas. This descriptive pilot study analysed RTI data recorded in the national Royal Oman Police registry from January to December 2014. The distribution of trauma care facilities was analysed by calculating distances between areas of peak RTI incidence and the closest trauma centre using Google Earth and Google Maps software (Google Inc., Googleplex, Mountain View, California, USA). A total of 32 trauma care facilities were identified. Four facilities (12.5%) were categorised as class V trauma centres. Of the facilities in Muscat, 42.9% were ranked as class IV or V. There were no class IV or V facilities in Musandam, Al-Wusta or Al-Buraimi. General surgery, orthopaedic surgery and neurosurgery services were available in 68.8%, 59.3% and 12.5% of the centres, respectively. Emergency services were available in 75.0% of the facilities. Intensive care units were available in 11 facilities, with four located in Muscat. The mean distance between a RTI hotspot and the nearest trauma care facility was 34.7 km; however, the mean distance to the nearest class IV or V facility was 83.3 km. The distribution and quality of trauma care facilities in Oman needs modification. It is recommended that certain centres upgrade their levels of trauma care in order to reduce RTI-associated morbidity and mortality in Oman.

A decade of road traffic fatalities among the elderly in north-West Iran

BackgroundIran has a uniquely catastrophic status for road traffic injury incidence and fatality. The elderly account for a substantial number of the hospitalizations and fatalities due to traffic injuries. The aim of this study was to investigate the crash mechanisms and medical outcomes of traffic fatalities among the elderly in East Azerbaijan province of Iran during the period 2006–2016.MethodsA total of 9435 fatalities registered in East Azerbaijan forensic medicine database, Iran, during 2006–2016, were investigated. Of these, 1357 were elderly persons (age > 65). Both victim- and crash-related variables were compared for the elderly and other age groups. Bivariate and multivariate analysis methods were applied using Stata statistical software package version 13.ResultsOf the 9435 fatalities, 1357 victims (14.4%) were elderly persons. The mean age of the elderly traffic fatalities was 75.3(SD = 6.2) years. About 78% of the elderly versus 80% of those in other age groups were males. A decreasing trend of fatal traffic accidents was observed over the study period both for the elderly and other age groups. The elderly were nearly seven times more likely to die as a pedestrian compared to other age groups. By exclusively analyzing pedestrians, it was found that motorcycles were responsible for pedestrian deaths in 9.1% of the fatalities while this figure was 5.5% for pedestrians in other age groups killed in a traffic accident (P < 0.05). About 56% (N = 761) of the elderly died in hospital which was higher than the proportion for other age groups (39%). Ambulance was the main vehicle for transferring the injured victims in four-fifths of the cases both for the elderly and other age groups. Although, in the present study, head injuries were the most common type of injury regardless of the age group, the elderly had a lower percentage of head injuries and a higher percentage of injuries to the torso, pelvis and limbs compared to younger victims.ConclusionsPedestrian inner-city crashes in East Azerbaijan province of Iran are a major cause of road injury fatalities among the elderly and should be considered as a priority in road safety interventions.

Associated head injuries and survival rate of patients with maxillofacial fractures in road traffic accident: A prospective study in Saudi Arabia.

Background:Every minute, an accident occurs in Saudi Arabia, causing 39,000 injuries and 7,000 deaths annually. Facial trauma or maxillofacial trauma (MFT) is a frequent presentation of road traffic accidents (RTAs), ranging from simple nasal fractures to gross or severe maxillofacial injuries.Methods:A total number of 237 patients were included in this prospective study from May 2013 to January 2018. The following medical details were recorded for each case, gender, age, fracture location, the presence of scalp laceration, the presence of brain damage, type of brain damage, shock degree, Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), number of units used for blood transfusions for documentation of patient survival rate. We followed up the patients in their first appointment after 21 days of patient discharge from the hospital.Results:Majority of the patients were young male adults. A total of 59.1% of patients had cerebral damage, 38% (n = 90) of patients had at least, one scalp laceration, 43.5% (n = 103) of patients had some degree of shock, whereas 27.8% of the recruited patients needed at least 1 unit of blood transfusion. A total of 14.3% of the patients died as a result of their injuries, and the survival rate was 85.7%.Conclusions:Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) is having a high incidence of RTAs leading to high mortality rate. Therefore, it requires a sound evaluation of the risk factors for RTAs and establishment of guidelines to decrease the incidence of road traffic injuries and reduce health-care burden. Road safety campaigns focused on young population can help reduce RTAs and subsequent mortalities. Prompt arrival at the hospital, early diagnosis, and timely management of maxillofacial fractures and brain damages by skilled physicians will lower mortality rate in KSA..

An epidemiological study on road traffic injury in East Sikkim

Background: Road traffic injuries (RTIs) are a large and rapidly evolving public health burden. RTIs are projected to rise to the third leading cause of disability-adjusted life years lost worldwide by 2020. In India, rapid motorization and increasing road traffic burden and underreporting of RTI are serious problems. Objectives: The objective of this study was to determine the burden and type of injuries sustained by victims of RTIs in East Sikkim and its correlates. Materials and Methods: Cases with an alleged history of RTIs reporting either to Central Referral Hospital or Sir Thutop Namgyal Memorial during June 1, 2012–May 31, 2013. After taking consent from victim or caregiver, a predesigned semi-structured pretested schedule was used to collect information. Results: A total of 467 cases of RTI were reported, in which the majority were males of productive age group. Most RTIs occurred on the highway, pedestrians were affected most, and maximum RTIs occurred in mid-week with a peak incidence in October month. Use of alcohol and mobile was reported. Conclusion: RTIs are on increase due to rapid motorization. Sikkim being a hilly state, RTI incidence is high, although minor injuries were more common. Morbidity in RTI victims can be reduced by use of safety measures, strengthening of Information, Education, and Communication activities for prevention of RTI, and imparting the importance of first aid on time.

Disability and mortality following road traffic injury: a follow-up study from a tertiary care centre of India

Background: Road traffic injury (RTI) is emerging as a huge public health problem throughout the world. The problem is magnified manifold as it mainly affects people in productive age-group causing significant mortality and disability. Very few studies have been done in India to assess disability following RTI though it has attained astronomic proportions. This study was undertaken to know the proportion of disability as an outcome amongst patients admitted for road traffic injuries in a tertiary care centre of Lucknow, India and to know the determinants of mortality and disability following Road Traffic Injuries amongst these patients.Methods: A follow-up study was conducted on 267 patients of RTI admitted at Trauma Centre of King George’s Medical University UP (tertiary care centre), Lucknow, India from November 2012 to June 2013. Systemic random sampling was used to select the patients. Disability was assessed using ten points modified Barthel index. Data analysis was done using SPSS 17.0 software.Results: Mortality and disability were seen in 13.1 percent and 16.36 percent of the patients. Residence locale, road user type, time at first aid and admission, and head injury were significantly associated with mortality while extremes of age, residence locale and lower limb injury were significantly associated with disability. The level of significance was set at p value of 0.05.Conclusions: RTI poses a huge burden on healthcare delivery system and society in the form of mortality and disability. Attempts pertaining various sectors should be made to reduce the incidence of RTI and ensuing disability.

Changing state of pediatric injuries in South Africa: An analysis of surveillance data from a Pediatric Emergency Department from 2007 to 2011

Pediatric injuries are associated with significant morbidity and mortality, especially in low- and middle-income countries. Data to characterize the cause and risk factors associated with childhood injuries in low- and middle-income countries are very scarce. The aim of this study is to describe the cause of pediatric injuries and their possible changes between 2007 and 2011 using hospital-based data in Cape Town, South Africa. Data from injured children <13years of age who presented to the Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital's emergency department in 2007 and 2011 were captured in Childsafe South Africa's trauma surveillance system. Poisson regression was used to assess changes in rates of injury between 2007 and 2011 in terms of demographics, geographic location of injury, type of injury mechanism, injury severity, and anatomic region of the sustained injury. In total, 14,915 injured children with 15,414 injuries presented to Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital in 2007 and 2011. The mean age was 5.01±3.5years and 60.3% were male. Common mechanisms of injury included falls (n=6,036; 40%), road traffic injuries (n=1,939; 13%), burns (n=1,885; 12.6%), and assault (n=640; 4.3%). Comparing 2011 to 2007, the incidence of road traffic injuries has decreased by 7% (P<.05) while burn injuries increased 11% (P<.05). Seventy-three percent (73%) of injuries that presented to Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital occurred in the Cape Flats area of Cape Town, where many informal settlements exist. These epidemiologic findings suggest that while road traffic injuries decreased and burn injuries increased at Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital, there is a need for data that are population-based and not hospital based. If we could describe injuries accurately within the pediatric population of a city such as Cape Town, we could in turn use this data to strengthen the need for targeted interventions to address risk factors for pediatric injuries. Despite this, hospital-based data remain a powerful tool to study injuries in low and middle-income countries.

Development and pilot study road traffic injury surveillance, Kaduna Nigeria

ObjectiveWe pilot a RTI surveillance system using data from FRSC, Policemotor traffic division and Health facilities in Kaduna metropolis,Nigeria to ascertain its feasibility and generate data needed for actiontoward achieving sustainable development goals 3.6 target.IntroductionRoad Traffic Injury is common cause of unintentional injuryglobally and Low and middle income countries account for 90%of 1.3 million Road Traffic Injury (RTI) deaths. In Africa region,Nigeria accounts for 25% of RTI mortality but has no comprehensiveand reliable RTI surveillance system. Data from Federal RoadSafety Commissions (FRSC) shows gaps in RTI reporting with largedisparity with estimated value from World Health Organization.MethodsKaduna metropolis is the capital of Kaduna State with estimatedpopulation of 1.96 million. It is a major route between Abuja, theNational capital and 15 northern Nigeria states with high vehicularmovement. We adapted WHO Injury surveillance guideline andCenters for Disease Control and Prevention surveillance trainingmanual for this study. A case of RTI is any person injured or diedwithin 30 days as a result injuries incurred from vehicular collision ona public road in Kaduna Metropolis. Data collected using a pretestedquestionnaire for RTI cases at health facilities, Police and FRSC.Data were linked by deterministic method, cleaned and analysed.Frequency and proportion were calculated to characterize the RTI.The study was supported by a mini-grant from Center for DiseaseControl and Prevention.ResultsData was collected from February to April 2016. Of the 324crashes reported, 566 people injured and 66 deaths with case fatalityrate of 11.7%. Male gender accounts for 81.8% and age 20 – 39 yearswere 64.6%. Commercial drivers were 20.7%, pedestrian 21% andpassengers were 53.7%. Sixty percent of the crash occurred betweencars or buses while 21% were without collision with any vehicle orstationary objects. Of the 66 deaths reported 61(92.4%) died at crashsite. FRSC evacuated 21%, 38.6% were evacuated by other road users.No use of seat belt and crash helmets reported and only 5.1% receivedfirst aid care before reaching reporting facility. RTI Incidence peakedbetween 6:00 PM to 8:59 PM with 26 persons per hour.ConclusionsEssential to sustainable development goal 3, a multisectorRTI surveillance system that generate data for action in Kadunametropolis, Nigeria is feasible and data generated was used for actionat different levels to mitigate against the burden of RTI

Risk factors for being the at-fault driver: A case–control study

ABSTRACTObjective: It is estimated that road traffic accidents are globally responsible for approximately 1.2 million deaths and 20 to 50 million injuries. About 70% of traffic incidences (TIs) occur in developing countries and among countries with high TI rates; Iran is the first. The aim of this study was to measure the association between being responsible for a traffic accident and some vehicle, human; and environmental related factors in Yasuj, a city with a high incidence of road traffic injuries and deaths in Iran.Methods: This is a time-, date-, and place-matched case–control study conducted in 2015 using all traffic accidents registered and investigated by police during 2012. In total, 194 drivers were considered the at-fault driver in a traffic accident and the 194 drivers in the same collisions were included in the analysis.Results: Based on the results from multivariate conditional logistic regression, significant associations between vehicle maneuver (ORTurn to right or left/Moving forward = 11.10, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.77–69.58, P = .01) and age (odds ratio [OR] = 1.11, 95% CI, 1.004–1.22, P = .04) and the chance of being an at-fault driver were found.Conclusion: Driver behavior–related interventions including training and law enforcement seem to be more effective in reducing road traffic accidents in Iran.

Direct and indirect costs of nonfatal road traffic injuries in Iran: A population-based study

ABSTRACTObjectives: The objective of this study was to assess the incidence rate as well as direct and indirect costs of nonfatal road traffic injuries (RTIs) in Iran in 2011.Methods: Data from the 2011 national household survey were used. In this survey, data on demographics, history, and costs of injury were obtained in 2 steps: first, direct face-to-face interview and second, telephone calls. We estimated the incidence rate of nonfatal RTIs in this year. The direct costs included medical care as well as nonmedical costs paid by the patient or insurance services. The indirect costs were estimated by considering the cost of absence from work or education. We also used logistic regression analyses to investigate risk factors of nonfatal RTIs.Results: We found 76 nonfatal RTI cases (0.96%) out of 7,886 whole reference study cases. These 76 injured patients had a history of RTI in the preceding 3 months. The annual incidence of RTIs was estimated at 3.84%. The mean age of RTI cases was 28.5 ± 10.6 and 88.16% of them were male. Male gender was a major risk factor (odds ratio [OR] = 9.64, 95% confidence interval [CI], 4.79–19.41) and marriage was a protective factor (OR = 0.44, 95% CI, 0.28–0.70) for RTI. The medians of direct, indirect, and total costs were US$214, US$163, and US$387, respectively. The total cost of nonfatal RTIs in Iran was estimated at 1.29% of the gross domestic product (GDP) in 2011.Conclusions: In Iran, nonfatal RTIs imposed a total cost of almost US$7 billion to the country for one year. Extension and more serious implementation of preventive measurements seem necessary to decrease this notable burden of RTIs.

Epidemiology of road traffic injuries in Nepal, 2001–2013: systematic review and secondary data analysis

ObjectiveTo investigate the epidemiology of road traffic injury (RTI) in Nepal for the period 2001–2013.Methods2 approaches, secondary data analysis and systematic literature review, were adopted. RTI data were retrieved from...

Epidemiology of injury and risk factors among adults in Guizhou province, 2010

To understand the epidemiologic characteristics of injury among adults in Guizhou province. A questionnaire survey was conducted among 9 280 residents aged ≥18 years selected though multistage cluster random sampling in Guizhou to collect the information about their demographic characteristics and incidence data of injury. Logistic regression analysis was done to identify the risk factors. The incidence of injury was 3.5% in the adults surveyed (3.6% in males, 3.4% in females). The incidences of injury in both urban area and rural area were same (3.5%). The incidence of injury was 3.9% in age group 18-44 years, 2.7% in age group 45-59 years, and 3.5% in age group≥60 years, the differences among different age groups were statistically significant (χ2=7.949, P=0.019). The top three injury causes were fall (35.0%), road traffic accident (20.0%) and animal bite (19.2%). The top three injury causes in the elderly were fall (59.3%), animal bite (22.0%) and sharp instrument cut (10.2%). Among the elderly, the incidence of road traffic injury was higher in males (1.1%) than in females (0.3%), the difference was statistically significant (χ2=18.156, P=0.000). The incidence of fall in urban area (1.6%) was higher than that in rural area (1.1%), the difference was statistically significant (χ2=4.616, P=0.032). Drinking and drunk driving, fatigue driving, smoking and gender were the influencing factors for injury. Injury related high risk behaviors were common in adults in Guizhou, it is necessary to develop effective intervention measures to prevent injury.

Burden of motorcycle-related injury in Malaysia.

BackgroundRoad traffic injury (RTI) contributes to major morbidity and mortality in both developed and developing countries. Most of the injuries are caused by road-related injuries that specifically relate to motorcycle crash. We attempted to conduct a short survey to determine the magnitude of burden related to motorcycle-related RTIs in Malaysia. We hypothesize that motorcycle-related RTI in Malaysia contributes significantly to the health burden in the country.MethodsThe cross-sectional survey involves data searching related to RTI in Malaysia from the relevant agencies such as the Ministry of Health Malaysia, Royal Police Force, and Malaysia Institute of Road Safety Research (MIROS) through their official websites and PubMed search. The three agencies are well established and recognized by the Malaysian government in dealing with data collection for the injury nationwide. The primary aim is to determine the prevalence of motorcycle-related RTI, and secondary outcomes are the overall mortality and the contributing factors.ResultsOf the cause of trauma, 80 % is due to RTI, and the most vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and motorcyclists are affected the most. Of all RTI, 70 % is contributed by the motorcycle crash, and there are a significant number of deaths for both rider and pillion rider of the motorcycle than for other types of vehicles. Human error is the main reason to be blamed, specifically the attitude of the riders on the road.ConclusionsTrauma is one of the common reasons for death and hospitalization in Malaysia. Motorcycle-related RTI in Malaysia contributes significantly to the health burden in Malaysia. The Malaysian government and non-government agencies have worked together seriously in implementing a preventive measure to reduce the incidence and aftermath of motorcycle-related RTI. However, data is still lacking, and every effort is made to increase the amount of research in the field.Strengths of the article are as follows:Latest alarming data on motorcycle-related injuries in the developing country.The data is collected from multi-agencies recognized by ministries in the country.Very limited publication specifically on motorcycle-related injuries is available.Limitations of the article are as follows:The data is only from one country.The statistical data is gathered from a variety of sources, i.e., relevant agencies and authorities and website of the involved ministries.

Road Traffic Injury on Rural Roads in Tanzania: Measuring the Effectiveness of a Road Safety Program

Objective: Road traffic injuries (RTIs) are a major public health burden, especially in low- and middle-income countries. There is limited data on RTIs in low-volume, rural African settings. This study attempted to survey all individuals living in households within 200 m of two low-volume rural roads in Tanzania and to collect data on RTIs.Methods: Local communities and users of the Bago to Talawanda road (intervention site) and Kikaro to Mihuga road (control site) were targeted and received an intensive program of road safety measures tailored using the crash characteristics of the baseline sample. Demographic data on all household members were collected, and those individuals who suffered an RTI in the previous 3 months had comprehensive information collected about the crash characteristics and the socioeconomic impact. The follow-up data collection occurred nine months after the baseline data were collected.Results: The majority of crashes that caused an RTI involved a motorcycle (71%) and the majority of victims were male (82%) with an average age of 27. Injuries to the legs (55%) were most common and the average length of time away from normal activity was 27 (±33) days. RTI incidence at the intervention site increased during the course of the study (incidence before vs. incidence after) and was unchanged in the community control (incidence before vs. incidence after).Conclusion: The incidence of RTIs in the low-volume rural setting is unacceptably high and most commonly associated with motorcycles. The change in incidence is unreliable due to logistic restraints of the project and more research is needed to quantify the impact of various RTI prevention strategies in this setting. This study provides insight into road traffic injuries on low-volume rural roads, areas where very little research has been captured. Additionally, it provides a replicable study design for those interested in collecting similar data on low-volume rural roads.