Injury outcome among helmeted and non-helmeted motorcycle riders and passengers at a tertiary care hospital in north-western Tanzania (original) (raw)
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African Health Sciences, 2015
Background: Trauma is an increasingly important cause of disease globally. Half of this trauma is from road traffic injuries with motorcycles contributing 21-58%. Low protective gear use, lack of regulation and weak traffic law enforcement contribute to unsafe nature of commercial motorcycles also known as "boda boda" in Uganda. Objectives: To determine the prevalence of protective gear use, the occurrence of head injury and the relationship between the two among commercial motorcycle riders in Kampala. Methods: Following ethical approval we recruited consecutive consenting participants to this analytical cross-sectional study. Data was collected using pretested interviewer administered questionnaires, double entered in Epidata and analyzed with STATA. Proportions and means were used to summarize data. Odds ratios were calculated for association between wearing helmets and occurrence and severity of head injury. Results: All 328 participants recruited were male. Of these, 18.6% used Protective gear and 71.1 % sustained head injury. Helmets protected users from head injury (OR 0.43, 95% CI, 0.23-0.8) and significantly reduced its severity when it occurred. Conclusion: Protective gear use was low, with high occurrence of head injury among commercial motorcycle riders in Uganda. More effective strategies are needed to promote protective gear use among Uganda's commercial motorcycle riders.
2020
Background: In Benin, motorcycles are the main means of transport for road users and are involved in more than half of accidents. This study aims to determine the effect of wearing a helmet on reducing head injuries in road accidents in Benin.Methods: This cohort-nested case-control study took place in 2020 and focused on road trauma victims. The sample consisted of 242 cases for 484 controls. A logistic regression model was performed.Results: Fewer of the subjects with a head injury were wearing a helmet at the time of the accident 69.8% (95% CI = 63.6 - 75.6) compared to those without a head injury 90.3% (95% CI = 87.3 - 92.8). Adjusting for the other variables, subjects not wearing helmets were at greater risk of head injuries (OR = 3.8, 95% CI (2.5 - 5.7)); the head injury rating was 2.0 (95% CI = 1.2 - 3.2) times higher in subjects who were fatigued during the accident than among those who were not and 2.1 (95% CI = 1.2 - 3.3) times higher than in subjects with no medical histo...
The impact of helmets on motorcycle head trauma at a tertiary hospital in Jamaica
BMC Research Notes, 2009
Background: Although the Jamaica road traffic act mandates motorcycle riders to wear approved helmets, opponents suggest that the local road conditions obviate any benefits from helmet use that have been proven in Developed countries. They suggest that the narrow, winding, poorly surfaced, congested local highways do not allow motorcyclists to sustain high velocity travel. The accidents then tend to occur at lower speeds and are accompanied by less severe injuries. This study was carried out to determine the impact of helmet use on traumatic brain injuries from motorcycle collisions in patients admitted to a tertiary referral hospital in Jamaica.
Indian Journal of Neurotrauma
Background Road traffic accident (RTA) is the eighth leading cause of death worldwide. Motorcycle-associated head injury is the leading cause of road traffic associated morbidity and mortality in developing countries. Even though the incidence and mortality of head injury from motor cycle crash is on the increase in developing countries, especially in the African continent, most of the studies published in the literature on this subject matter took place in the developed Western countries. Methods This is a retrospective cross-sectional study of data from patients managed in our institution between December 2014 and November 2016. Results One hundred and eighty-four patients were analyzed. None of the patients used safety helmet for protection. The mean age was 27.6 ± 17.2 years with male female ratio of 6.7:1. Lone crash by cyclists and collisions accounted for 66.8% and 33.1% of the cases, respectively. Passengers and riders comprised 75% of the patients, while 25% were vulnerable...
Injury Prevention, 2006
At a Nigerian university hospital, none of the motorcyclists who presented over a 12 month period had been wearing a helmet, and of the eight patients who died, seven had head injuries. Of the five collision types described, the rate of motorcycle-other vehicle collisions was highest at 40.6%, while the motorcycle-pedestrian rate was 23.4%. Measures to prevent these collisions might reduce overall crashes by 64%; in addition, helmet law should be enforced.
Introduction: motorcycle users involved in crashes are likely to die or be severely injured due to high frequency of head, chest and leg injuries. We carried out a descriptive cross sectional study to determine crash characteristics and injury patterns among motorcycle users attending Kitale district hospital, Kenya. Methods: motorcycle trauma patients were recruited between 1st August 2013 and 31stOctober 2013. Data collection was done using a pre-tested, coded questionnaire. Frequencies mean (SD) and chi-square was employed in the analysis. Analysis was done using SPSS V.20. Results were considered significant at α=0.05. Results: motorcycle trauma patients formed 39.4% of all road traffic injuries. Males constituted 69.8%, females 30.2% and mean age was 30(±13) years. Riders accounted for majority of injury patients (45%), passengers (38.8%) and pedestrians (15.9%). Mechanism of motorcycle crash was involving motorcycle versus vehicle (45.6%). Riders suffered severe injuries compared to passengers (χ2=129.936, p<0.001). Head injury patients were assessed as having Glasgow coma scale (GCS) of 70% 9-12, 26% GCS of 13-15 and 7% GCS of 3-8. Injuries sustained by victims included head and neck injury 40%, lower extremity injury 39.9% and chest injury 8.2%. Riders without helmets during the crash sustained head injuries (χ2=111.352, p<0.001). Conclusion: head injuries and lower extremity injuries accounted for the major proportion of injuries sustained by motorcycle users. Non helmet use was associated with increased risk of head injuries. Morbidity can be mitigated by encouraging use of protective gear like helmets
Pan African Medical Journal, 2014
Introduction: motorcycle users involved in crashes are likely to die or be severely injured due to high frequency of head, chest and leg injuries. We carried out a descriptive cross sectional study to determine crash characteristics and injury patterns among motorcycle users attending Kitale district hospital, Kenya. Methods: motorcycle trauma patients were recruited between 1 st August 2013 and 31 st October 2013. Data collection was done using a pre-tested, coded questionnaire. Frequencies mean (SD) and chi-square was employed in the analysis. Analysis was done using SPSS V.20. Results were considered significant at α=0.05. Results: motorcycle trauma patients formed 39.4% of all road traffic injuries. Males constituted 69.8%, females 30.2% and mean age was 30(±13) years. Riders accounted for majority of injury patients (45%), passengers (38.8%) and pedestrians (15.9%). Mechanism of motorcycle crash was involving motorcycle versus vehicle (45.6%). Riders suffered severe injuries compared to passengers (χ 2 =129.936, p<0.001). Head injury patients were assessed as having Glasgow coma scale (GCS) of 70% 9-12, 26% GCS of 13-15 and 7% GCS of 3-8. Injuries sustained by victims included head and neck injury 40%, lower extremity injury 39.9% and chest injury 8.2%. Riders without helmets during the crash sustained head injuries (χ 2 =111.352, p<0.001). Conclusion: head injuries and lower extremity injuries accounted for the major proportion of injuries sustained by motorcycle users. Non helmet use was associated with increased risk of head injuries. Morbidity can be mitigated by encouraging use of protective gear like helmets.
Tanzania Journal of …, 2010
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _ Abstract: Motorcycle injuries constitute a major but neglected emerging public health problem in developing countries and are a common cause of road traffic injuries. The aim of this study was to establish the prevalence, injury pattern and treatment outcome of motorcycle injuries among patients presenting to Bugando Medical Centre in Mwanza, Tanzania, between March 2009 and February 2010. Data was collected using a pre-tested, coded questionnaire. A total of 384 motorcycle injury patients were studied constituting 37.2% of all road traffic injuries. Over two-thirds (69.5%) of the patients were males (Male: Female ratio = 2.3:1). The mean age of the patients was 25.7 years (range: 4-87 years). The majority of patients were businessmen and students accounting for 68.8% and 42.2%, respectively. Motorcyclists accounted for the majority of motorcycle injury patients (212, 55.2%), followed by passengers (130. 33.9%) and pedestrians (42, 10.9%). Helmet use was recorded in 87 patients (22.7%). Most patients (352; 91.7%) sustained blunt injuries. Musculoskeletal (extremities) and head injuries were the most common body region injured affecting 234 (60.9%) and 212 (55.2%) patients, respectively. The majority of patients (244; 63.5%) were treated surgically. Wound debridement was the most common (86.9%) procedure performed. The overall mean length of hospital stay (LOS) was 19.23 days (range= 1-120 days). The LOS for non-survivors was 5.6 days (range= 1-25 days). Patients with major trauma (ISS > 16), severe head injury (GCS 3-8) and those with long bone fractures stayed longer in the hospital and this was significant (P-value <0.001). Mortality rate was 16.7% (64 deaths). Age of the patient, non-helmeted patients, major trauma (ISS > 16), admission systolic blood pressure <90mmHg, severe head injury (GCS <9), need for intensive care unit admission and need for ventilatory support significantly influenced mortality (P-value < 0.001). Motorcycle injuries constitute a major but neglected emerging public health problem in Mwanza City and continue to be one of the most common cause or agent of road traffic injuries. The morbidity and mortality can be mitigated by encouraging use of protective gear like helmets and encouraging enforcement of traffic laws. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________