Burden of road traffic injuries and related risk factors in low and middle-income Pacific Island countries and territories: a systematic review of the scientific literature (TRIP 5)

Abstract

BackgroundIn Pacific Island countries and territories, the burden of road traffic injuries and their attendant risks are considered significant but are poorly quantified. As with other low and middle-income countries, understanding the epidemiology of road traffic injuries in Pacific countries is critical to informing sustainable research and policy initiatives aimed at reducing this burden.MethodsWe undertook a systematic review and critical appraisal of the relevant epidemiological literature between January 1980 and December 2010, using key search strings for incidence and aetiological studies focusing on RTIs in less resourced Pacific countries.ResultsNineteen studies were identified. The majority were descriptive and were unable to provide population-based estimates of the burden of road crash injury, or reliable information on risk factors using well-designed aetiological research methods. All studies were published more than 10 years ago, and all but three reported on data from Papua New Guinea, thereby limiting the generalisability of findings to the current status in the region. Studies undertaken in Papua New Guinea suggested that RTIs were more frequent among young males, with head injuries the most common cause of death or hospital admission. Two thirds of fatalities occurred at the crash site or soon after admission. Most road crash victims were passengers or pedestrians. Factors postulated to influence the risk of RTIs were travel in open-back utility vehicles, utility vehicle overcrowding, and alcohol.ConclusionsThis review suggests that, despite increasing awareness of the importance of addressing road safety among stakeholders in less resourced Pacific Island countries, road traffic injuries have not been a research priority with little relevant current evidence from the region to inform policy. Robust epidemiological research that can assess the magnitude and key determinants of road traffic injuries in these settings is essential to determine context-specific road safety initiatives that are relevant and affordable. Greater attention to harnessing routinely collected data (e.g., hospital information systems and police crash statistics) to inform policy is also required.

Frequency, causes and human impact of motor vehicle-related road traffic accident (RTA) in Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of Congo

“…Annually, RTA cause approximately 1,240,000 deaths and 20-50 million cases of injury worldwide; the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that, by the year 2020, there will be 1,900,000 deaths consecutive to RTA [1], whereas RTA-related injuries are estimated to be the fifth leading contributor to the global burden of disease by 2030 [2]. The human and economic impact of RTA in low and middle income countries is huge, as over 90 % of fatal crashes occur there, with an annual cost of 65 billion US dollars [1,3,4].…”

Epidemiology of Road Traffic Injuries in Iran: Based on the Data from Disaster Management Information System (DMIS) Of the Iranian Red Crescent

“…Apart from emotional losses, financial losses such as hospital costs and costs of the funeral and blood money and costs related to vehicle smoothing, painting and repairs are imposed on the driver or his family in any accident or incident. These figures will be a large amount in each year (15,(47)(48)(49)(50)(51)(52). According to the study by Ainy and colleagues (2014) (2), it was estimated that the costs resulting from RTIs include 6.46 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP) in Iran with some costs not probably included in these calculations.…”

Road traffic fatalities - a neglected epidemic in rural northern Ghana: evidence from the Navrongo demographic surveillance system

“…Literature reviewed across different countries and settings consistently show that people in the age groups 15–49 or 15–59 are more prone to road traffic fatalities (Bachani et al 2012; Ditsuwan et al 2011; Herman et al 2012; Garrib et al 2011). Males however, disproportionately bear a higher brunt of the share of road traffic accidents and fatalities than females (Garrib et al 2011; Ditsuwan et al 2011).…”