Epidemiology of injuries presenting to the national hospital in Kampala, Uganda: implications for research and policy
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Date
2010
Authors
Hsia, Renee Y.
Ozgediz, Doruk
Mutto, Milton
Jayaraman, Sudha
Kyamanywa, Patrick
Kobusingye, Olive C.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
International journal of emergency medicine
Abstract
Despite the growing burden of injuries in LMICs,
there are still limited primary epidemiologic data to guide
health policy and health system development. Understanding the epidemiology of injury in developing countries can help
identify risk factors for injury and target interventions for
prevention and treatment to decrease disability and mortality.
Aim To estimate the epidemiology of the injury seen in
patients presenting to the government hospital inKampala, the
capital city of Uganda.
Methods A secondary analysis of a prospectively collected
database collected by the Injury Control Centre-Uganda at
the Mulago National Referral Hospital, Kampala, Uganda,
2004-2005.
Results From 1 August 2004 to 12 August 2005, a total of
3,750 injury-related visits were recorded; a final sample of
3,481 records were analyzed. The majority of patients
(62%) were treated in the casualty department and then
discharged; 38% were admitted. Road traffic injuries (RTIs)
were the most common causes of injury for all age groups
in this sample, except for those under 5 years old, and
accounted for 49% of total injuries. RTIs were also the most
common cause of mortality in trauma patients. Within
traffic injuries, more passengers (44%) and pedestrians
(30%) were injured than drivers (27%). Other causes of
trauma included blunt/penetrating injuries (25% of injuries)
and falls (10%). Less than 5% of all patients arriving to the
emergency department for injuries arrived by ambulance.
Conclusions Road traffic injuries are by far the largest
cause of both morbidity and mortality in Kampala. They are
the most common cause of injury for all ages, except those
younger than 5, and school-aged children comprise a large
proportion of victims from these incidents. The integration
of injury control programs with ongoing health initiatives is
an urgent priority for health and development.
Description
Keywords
Road traffic, Injuries, Developing country, Trauma, Uganda
Citation
Hsia, R. Y., Ozgediz, D., Mutto, M., Jayaraman, S., Kyamanywa, P., & Kobusingye, O. C. (2010). Epidemiology of injuries presenting to the national hospital in Kampala, Uganda: implications for research and policy. International journal of emergency medicine, 3(3), 165-172. DOI 10.1007/s12245-010-0200-1