National burden of road traffic injuries in Argentina

Abstract

More than 1.2 million people die and as many as 50 million people are injured or disabled due to road traffic injuries (RTIs) every year worldwide. The lack of reliable data hinders efforts to describe the characteristics of the issue and prioritise prevention activities. The objective was to provide a snapshot of fatal and non-fatal RTI in Argentina. We used the methodology proposed by the Global Burden of Disease Injury Expert group. External causes of deaths with unknown codes were proportionately redistributed over the known categories. In 2007 in Argentina, we estimated 5915 RTI deaths, compared with 3983 RTI deaths reported previously by the Ministry of Health, accounting for 1931 additional cases. The highest number of deaths occurred in young men (15-29 years old), although the highest RTI death rates were in the age group of 55 years and older. Four-wheeled vehicle occupants were the most common road user type killed (59.1%); vulnerable road users represented one third (29.5%) of deaths and 64% of non-fatal RTI. The national and regional estimates of RTI in Argentina should help policy makers and public-health researchers to understand the importance of RTI prevention and design specific interventions to further reduce these preventable deaths and injuries.

Road Traffic Deaths in Brazil: Rising Trends in Pedestrian and Motorcycle Occupant Deaths

“…Elderly populations are more susceptible to increased mortality due to factors of comorbidity, including decreased physiologic reserve and elevated incidence of preexisting medical conditions (Gawryszewski and Rodrigues 2006). Travel behavior in elderly populations also suggests increases in nonmotorized transport (Ubeda et al 2011). With a growing elderly population that is more susceptible to specific age-related risks, targeted interventions addressing these risks are needed.…”

“…The increasing burden of pedestrian, bicycle, and motorcycle injuries has been shown in some Latin American countries in recent studies. In Argentina in 2007, VRUs accounted for 29.5 percent of road traffic deaths (Ubeda et al 2011). Hijar et al (2003) showed a pedestrian mortality rate of over 7 per 100,000 in Mexico City, with a markedly high rate of 35 per 100,000 in certain districts in the mid-1990s.…”

Prevalence of severe mental distress and its correlates in a population-based study in rural south-west Uganda

“…shouting, undressing, running aimlessly, hearing voices of people who were not there?' This question was derived from the four screening questions for 'probable psychosis' as is given in the WHO Self Report Questionnaire-25 [10]. Study participants who responded positively to this question were advised to attend their nearest local health facility or the study clinic for further assessment.…”

“…Clinical and laboratory assessments were undertaken for: diabetes (plasma glucose measured using the enzymatic reference method with hexokinase; Roche COBAS Integra 400 analyser with Glucose HK Gen.3 reagent) [24]; hypertension [25]; HIV serostatus and epilepsy (possible epilepsy was assessed using the WHO-SRQ-25 derived question, 'do you have an illness characterized by recurrent episodes of falling to the ground associated with loss of consciousness ?') [10]. …”

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