Distribution of causes of death and associated organ injuries in road traffic accident-related fatalities: a postmortem study in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Abstract Background According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there were 1.19 million road traffic accident (RTA)-related deaths in 2021, with a significantly higher death rate in developing countries than in developed countries. Objective To assess the distribution of causes of death and as...
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BMC
2025-01-01
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-024-21220-2 |
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| author | Gashaw Sete Selam Temesgen Alemu |
| author_facet | Gashaw Sete Selam Temesgen Alemu |
| author_sort | Gashaw Sete |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there were 1.19 million road traffic accident (RTA)-related deaths in 2021, with a significantly higher death rate in developing countries than in developed countries. Objective To assess the distribution of causes of death and associated organ injuries in RTA-related fatalities. Methods This retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted at the Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology of Saint Paul’s Hospital Millennium Medical College (SPHMMC), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. This study included 207 autopsies of RTA-related deaths. Results Among the 198 victims, 70.7 percent were males and 29.3 percent were females, with a mean age of 36.65 (years). The leading causes of death were craniocerebral injury (36.9%) and polytrauma (14.6%). The majority (49%) died in the prehospital setting, 37.9% at the hospital, and 5.6% at home. Pedestrians were the most affected (71%), followed by passengers (16%). Urban areas had a higher incidence of accidents (58.1%). All victims had soft tissue injuries, with 75.3% sustaining head injuries, 58.6% sustaining musculoskeletal injuries, and 51% sustaining thoracic injuries. Conclusion Addressing RTA-related deaths requires a multifaceted approach involving various stakeholders. Building a prehospital emergency service, providing first aid training, and continuous professional development training to health professionals are also important. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-8cf8fbc3090748bdbbd3683c8b1d9a77 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1471-2458 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Public Health |
| spelling | doaj-art-8cf8fbc3090748bdbbd3683c8b1d9a772025-01-12T12:43:03ZengBMCBMC Public Health1471-24582025-01-012511610.1186/s12889-024-21220-2Distribution of causes of death and associated organ injuries in road traffic accident-related fatalities: a postmortem study in Addis Ababa, EthiopiaGashaw Sete0Selam Temesgen Alemu1Woldia University, Woldia, Ethiopia and Dermatovenerology Resident at Bahir Dar UniversityOne Health Lesson Administrative InternAbstract Background According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there were 1.19 million road traffic accident (RTA)-related deaths in 2021, with a significantly higher death rate in developing countries than in developed countries. Objective To assess the distribution of causes of death and associated organ injuries in RTA-related fatalities. Methods This retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted at the Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology of Saint Paul’s Hospital Millennium Medical College (SPHMMC), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. This study included 207 autopsies of RTA-related deaths. Results Among the 198 victims, 70.7 percent were males and 29.3 percent were females, with a mean age of 36.65 (years). The leading causes of death were craniocerebral injury (36.9%) and polytrauma (14.6%). The majority (49%) died in the prehospital setting, 37.9% at the hospital, and 5.6% at home. Pedestrians were the most affected (71%), followed by passengers (16%). Urban areas had a higher incidence of accidents (58.1%). All victims had soft tissue injuries, with 75.3% sustaining head injuries, 58.6% sustaining musculoskeletal injuries, and 51% sustaining thoracic injuries. Conclusion Addressing RTA-related deaths requires a multifaceted approach involving various stakeholders. Building a prehospital emergency service, providing first aid training, and continuous professional development training to health professionals are also important.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-024-21220-2AccidentAutopsyTraumaDeath |
| spellingShingle | Gashaw Sete Selam Temesgen Alemu Distribution of causes of death and associated organ injuries in road traffic accident-related fatalities: a postmortem study in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia BMC Public Health Accident Autopsy Trauma Death |
| title | Distribution of causes of death and associated organ injuries in road traffic accident-related fatalities: a postmortem study in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia |
| title_full | Distribution of causes of death and associated organ injuries in road traffic accident-related fatalities: a postmortem study in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia |
| title_fullStr | Distribution of causes of death and associated organ injuries in road traffic accident-related fatalities: a postmortem study in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia |
| title_full_unstemmed | Distribution of causes of death and associated organ injuries in road traffic accident-related fatalities: a postmortem study in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia |
| title_short | Distribution of causes of death and associated organ injuries in road traffic accident-related fatalities: a postmortem study in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia |
| title_sort | distribution of causes of death and associated organ injuries in road traffic accident related fatalities a postmortem study in addis ababa ethiopia |
| topic | Accident Autopsy Trauma Death |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-024-21220-2 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT gashawsete distributionofcausesofdeathandassociatedorganinjuriesinroadtrafficaccidentrelatedfatalitiesapostmortemstudyinaddisababaethiopia AT selamtemesgenalemu distributionofcausesofdeathandassociatedorganinjuriesinroadtrafficaccidentrelatedfatalitiesapostmortemstudyinaddisababaethiopia |