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Vofo BN, Ayuk DA, Pe'er J, Chichom-Mefire A, Tendongfor N, Nche EN. Visual assessment of commercial drivers in the South West Region of Cameroon. BMC Ophthalmol 2021; 21:148. [PMID: 33757436 PMCID: PMC7986018 DOI: 10.1186/s12886-021-01909-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2020] [Accepted: 03/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Driving is a visually intensive task. In Cameroon, where the burden of road traffic deaths is high, visual assessment is not universally performed before the issuance of driver licenses. This study aims to assess the visual status of commercial drivers (CDs) in the southwestern region of Cameroon, and to find its relation to road traffic crashes (RTCs). METHODS This work was a cross-sectional community-based study on CDs in Limbe and Buea. Questionnaires were used to assess sociodemographic parameters, the incidence of RTCs, and self-reported visual status. Visual acuity (VA) was measured using a standard Snellen chart at 6 m. Statistical analysis was performed using descriptive methods: frequencies, the paired Student's t-test, and the chi-square test. RESULTS Two hundred seven CDs were enrolled in this study, all of which were male, with a mean age of 41.8 ± 12.1 years. A total of 15.0% had undergone an eye exam prior to licensure, and 3.4% had undergone an eye exam within the past 10 years. The VA in the better-seeing eye of participants was less than 6/9 and 6/12 in 14.1 and 10.6% of CDs, respectively. Seventy-five percent of CDs with self-reported poor vision and 95% of CDs with VA < 0.5 had a history of RTCs compared to 55.8% of CDs with self-reported good vision and 55.7% of CDs with VA ≥ 0.5 (p < 0.05). Injuries from RTCs were more common in CDs with self-reported poor vision (81.1%) and in those with VA < 0.5 (90.5%) compared to CDs who self-reported good vision (55.8%) and those with VA ≥ 0.5 (55.7%) (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS A large proportion of CDs did not undergo a visual assessment before the issuance or renewal of their driver licenses. A substantial number of CDs had poor vision in their better-seeing eye and suffered from RTCs and related injuries, which suggests that the visual status of CDs in Cameroon is related to the gruesome number of road traffic crashes and deaths in the country. Therefore, concerned authorities should consider making vision tests a necessary requirement for the obtention of driver licenses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brice Nguedia Vofo
- Department of Ophthalmology, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center, POB 12000, 91120, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Doris Ako Ayuk
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Buea, Buea, Cameroon
| | - Jacob Pe'er
- Department of Ophthalmology, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center, POB 12000, 91120, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Alain Chichom-Mefire
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Buea, Buea, Cameroon
| | - Nicholas Tendongfor
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Buea, Buea, Cameroon
| | - Eleanor Ngwe Nche
- Department of Ophthalmology, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center, POB 12000, 91120, Jerusalem, Israel.
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Derese BM, Trueha DK. Modeling Frequency of Injuries per Vehicle Crash in Gurage Zone, Southern Ethiopia. Ethiop J Health Sci 2021; 31:101-110. [PMID: 34158757 PMCID: PMC8188113 DOI: 10.4314/ejhs.v31i1.12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2020] [Accepted: 08/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Traffic accident is the most serious problem in developing countries like Ethiopia, which is among the leading cause of death with the highest increasing rate from year to year in Ethiopia. This research aimed to identify the associated factors on the frequency of injuries per vehicle crash in Gurage zone. METHODS A retrospective study was conducted to identify the contributing factors of a number of injuries per accident. The data were collected from all traffic control and investigation office of 13 Woredas (Districts) for the past five consecutive years from 2013 to 2017. Negative Binomial Regression model was employed to identify the associated factors that affect the number of injuries per accident. RESULTS A total of 334 accidents recorded in the last five years from 2013 to 2017 in Gurage zone. Two hundred eight three (84.73%) of the accidents were caused 610 number of injuries. The significantly associated factors of frequency of injuries per road traffic accidents were Drivers' Age (IR: 0.9813; CI: 0.9664 - 0.9962), Drivers' Sex: Female (IR : 1.6386; CI : 1.2176 - 2.0596), Drivers' vehicles ownership: Hired (IR: 1.4216; CI: 1.1697 - 1.6735) and non-drivers' related variables, like weather condition: Rainy (IR: 1.6041; CI: 1.2552 - 1.9529), road shape: street-square (IR: 1.7421 ; CI: 1.1908 - 2.2934) and vehicle type: Isuzu (load)(IR: 1.6845; CI : 1.2592 - 2.1098) Minibus (IR: 2.7253; CI 2.3129 - 3.1377). CONCLUSIONS This study found that, Driver's related factors: Driver's Age, Sex, Drivers' vehicle ownership, and non-drivers' related variables: Weather condition, Road shape, and Vehicle type were identified as significantly associated factors on the frequency of injuries per vehicle crash in Gurage Zone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Biru Mohammed Derese
- Department of Statistics, College of Natural and Computational Sciences, Wolkite University, Ethiopia
| | - Dumga Kassahun Trueha
- Department of Statistics, College of Natural and Computational Sciences, Wolkite University, Ethiopia
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Sae-Tae N, Lim A, Dureh N. Determinants of severe injury and mortality from road traffic accidents among motorcycle and car users in Southern Thailand. Int J Inj Contr Saf Promot 2020; 27:286-292. [PMID: 32498604 DOI: 10.1080/17457300.2020.1774616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
This study aimed to identify factors associated with severe injury and mortality from road traffic accidents (RTA) among motorcycle and car users in southern Thailand. The data were obtained from the Office of Disease Prevention and Control, Thailand, for years 2008-2013. Chi-squared tests were used to assess associations between determinants and outcomes and these associations were then estimated after adjusting for possible confounding with other factors using logistic regression. Severe injury and mortality contributed 11.6% and 5% to RTA of motorcycle users, and 14.3% and 7.5% for car users. Among motorcycle users, male gender, older age, and not wearing a helmet increased severe injury and mortality rates, whereas drivers had more severe injuries than passengers. Older car users had higher severe injury and mortality rates, whereas not fastening seat belts had higher mortality. Safety device use should be made mandatory for both drivers and passengers. Male motorcycle users and the elderly should be focused on.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natthika Sae-Tae
- Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, Faculty of Science and Technology, Prince of Songkla University, Pattani Campus, Pattani, Thailand.,Centre of Excellence in Mathematics, the Commission on Higher Education, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Apiradee Lim
- Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, Faculty of Science and Technology, Prince of Songkla University, Pattani Campus, Pattani, Thailand.,Centre of Excellence in Mathematics, the Commission on Higher Education, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Nurin Dureh
- Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, Faculty of Science and Technology, Prince of Songkla University, Pattani Campus, Pattani, Thailand
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Chichom-Mefire A, Palle-Ngunde J, Fokam P, Mokom-Awa A, Njock R, Ngowe-Ngowe M. Injury patterns in road traffic victims comparing road user categories: Analysis of 811 consecutive cases in the emergency department of a level I institution in a low-income country. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SURGERY OPEN 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijso.2017.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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Vissoci JRN, Shogilev DJ, Krebs E, de Andrade L, Vieira IF, Toomey N, Batilana AP, Haglund M, Staton CA. Road traffic injury in sub-Saharan African countries: A systematic review and summary of observational studies. TRAFFIC INJURY PREVENTION 2017; 18:767-773. [PMID: 28448753 PMCID: PMC6350910 DOI: 10.1080/15389588.2017.1314470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2016] [Accepted: 03/29/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The aim of this study is to evaluate, through a systematic review of hospital-based studies, the proportion of road traffic injuries and fatalities in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). METHODS In accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) and Meta-analysis of Observational Studies in Epidemiology guidelines, we searched the following electronic databases: PubMed, Embase, Africa-Wide Information, Global Health, and Web of Science. Articles were eligible if they measured proportion of road traffic injuries (RTIs) in SSA by using hospital-based studies. In addition, a reference and citation analysis was conducted as well as a data quality assessment. RESULTS Up to 2015, there were a total of 83 hospital-based epidemiologic studies, including 310,660 trauma patients and 99,751 RTI cases, in 13 SSA countries. The median proportion of RTIs among trauma patients was 32% (4 to 91%), of which the median proportion of death for the included articles was 5% (0.3 to 41%). CONCLUSION The number of studies evaluating RTI proportions and fatalities in SSA countries is increasing but without the exponential rise expected from World Health Organization calls for research during the Decade of Action for Road Traffic Injuries. Further research infrastructure including standardization of taxonomy, definitions, and data reporting measures, as well as funding, would allow for improved cross-country comparisons.
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Affiliation(s)
- João Ricardo N. Vissoci
- Division of Emergency Medicine, Department of Surgery, Division of Neurosurgery and Neurology, Department of Neurosurgery, Duke University, Durham USA,
| | | | | | | | | | - Nicole Toomey
- Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham, USA,
| | | | - Michael Haglund
- Duke School of Medicine, Duke Global Health Institute, Duke University, Durham USA,
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Ekeke ON, Okonta KE. Trauma: a major cause of death among surgical inpatients of a Nigerian tertiary hospital. Pan Afr Med J 2017; 28:6. [PMID: 29138652 PMCID: PMC5681011 DOI: 10.11604/pamj.2017.28.6.10690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2016] [Accepted: 10/16/2017] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Trauma presents a significant global health burden. Death resulting from trauma remains high in low income countries despite a steady decrease in developed countries. Analysis of the pattern of death will enable intervention to reduce these deaths from trauma in developing countries. This study aims to present the pattern of trauma-related deaths in the surgical wards of University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH). METHODS This was a retrospective study of all patients who died from trauma during admission into the surgical wards of UPTH from 2007 to 2012. Data on demography and traumatic events leading to death were collected from surgical wards, the emergency unit, and theatre records and analyzed using SPSS version 16.0. RESULTS Trauma accounted for 219 (42.4%) of the 527 mortalities recorded. Most of the deaths (62.6 %) occurred between 20 and 59 years. There were 148 males (67.6 %). The yearly mortality rates were as follows: 2007(12.3 %); 2008 (16.9%); 2009 (9.1%), 2010 (12.8 %), 2011 (23.3%) and 2012 (25.6%). Most of the patients (91.3%) died within 1 month of admission. The major events leading to deaths were burns 105(47.9%), traumatic brain injuries were 63(28.8%), and spinal cord injuries 21(9.6%). The secondary causes of death were mainly septic shock 112(51.1%); Respiratory failure 60(27.4%); and Multiple organ dysfunction 44(20.1%). CONCLUSION Trauma is a leading cause of mortality in the surgical wards of our hospital. Trauma -related deaths continues to increase over the years. Safe keeping of petroleum products and adherence to traffic rules will reduce these avoidable deaths.
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Affiliation(s)
- Onyeanunam Ngozi Ekeke
- Department of Surgery, University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Alakahia, Port Harcourt, Nigeria
| | - Kelechi Emmanuel Okonta
- Department of Surgery, University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Alakahia, Port Harcourt, Nigeria
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Ba L, Wu DQ, Qian AY, Zhang M, Xiong B. Dynamic changes of serum cholinesterase activity after severe trauma. J Zhejiang Univ Sci B 2015; 15:1023-31. [PMID: 25471831 DOI: 10.1631/jzus.b1400129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The aim of the present study was to examine dynamic changes in serum cholinesterase (ChE) activity during early-stage severe trauma and the clinical significance of these changes. METHODS This prospective, observational study included 81 patients with severe trauma who were treated between October 2011 and April 2013 in the emergency intensive care unit (EICU) of a university-affiliated, tertiary-care, grade A general hospital in China. Serum ChE activity was measured on Days 1, 3, and 7 post-injury. The correlation of dynamic changes in serum ChE activity with trauma severity and prognosis was assessed. Correlations between changes in serum ChE activity after injury and albumin (ALB), prealbumin (PAB), transferrin (TRF), and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were also analyzed. RESULTS Serum ChE activity in trauma patients was 42.3%-50.2% lower on Days 1, 3, and 7 compared with the control (P<0.001 for all time points), and it continued to decrease after Day 7 in both the survival and death subgroups. In the subgroup with an injury severity score (ISS) of ≤25, serum ChE activity initially decreased, but eventually increased. However, activity decreased continuously in the ISS>25 subgroup. ChE activity was significantly lower in both the death and the ISS>25 subgroups than in the survival and ISS≤25 subgroups on Days 1, 3, and 7 after injury. Activity was negatively correlated with ISS and acute physiology and chronic health evaluation III (APACHE III) at all time points. When comparing the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves for predicting prognosis, the area under the curve (AUC) in the plot of serum ChE was similar to the AUCs in plots of ISS and APACHE III, but significantly smaller than the AUC in the plot of the trauma and injury severity score (TRISS). Serum ChE activity was positively correlated with ALB, PAB, and TRF at all time points post-injury. Activity was not significantly correlated with CRP on Day 1, but was significantly and negatively correlated with CRP on Days 3 and 7. CONCLUSIONS There is a significant decrease in serum ChE activity after severe trauma. Serum ChE may be regarded as a negative acute phase protein (APP) and the dynamic changes in serum ChE may be useful as an auxiliary indicator for evaluating trauma severity and predicting prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Ba
- Department of Emergency Medicine, the Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310009, China; Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, the Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310052, China
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Etiologies of epilepsy and health-seeking itinerary of patients with epilepsy in a resource poor setting: Analysis of 342 Nigerian Africans. Seizure 2013; 22:572-6. [DOI: 10.1016/j.seizure.2013.04.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2013] [Revised: 04/10/2013] [Accepted: 04/11/2013] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
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Fatal road traffic cranio-cerebral injuries: Time to act and need to study. INDIAN JOURNAL OF NEUROTRAUMA 2012. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijnt.2012.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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Narh-Bana SA, Chirwa TF, Mwanyangala MA, Nathan R. Adult deaths and the future: a cause-specific analysis of adult deaths from a longitudinal study in rural Tanzania 2003-2007. Trop Med Int Health 2012; 17:1396-404. [PMID: 22974416 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-3156.2012.03080.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To determine patterns and risk factors for cause-specific adult mortality in rural southern Tanzania. METHODS The study was a longitudinal open cohort and focused on adults aged 15-59 years between 2003 and 2007. Causes of deaths were ascertained by verbal autopsy (VA). Cox proportion hazards regression model was used to determine factors associated with cause-specific mortality over the 5-year period. RESULTS Thousand three hundred and fifty-two of 65 548 adults died, representing a crude adult mortality rate (AMR) of 7.3 per 1000 person years of observation (PYO). VA was performed for 1132 (84%) deaths. HIV/AIDS [231 (20.4%)] was the leading cause of death followed by malaria [150 (13.2%)]. AMR for communicable disease (CD) causes was 2.49 per 1000 PYO, 1.21 per 1000 PYO for non-communicable diseases (NCD) and 0.53 per 1000 PYO for accidents/injury causes. NCD deaths increased from 16% in 2003 to 24% in 2007. High level of education was associated with a reduction in the risk of dying from NCDs. Those with primary education (HR = 0.67, 95% CI: 0.49, 0.92) and with education beyond primary school (HR = 0.11, 95% CI: 0.02, 0.40) had lower mortality than those who had no formal education. Compared with local residents, in-migrants were 1.7 (95% CI: 1.37, 2.11) times more likely to die from communicable disease causes. CONCLUSION NCDs are increasing as a result of demographic and epidemiological transitions taking place in most African countries including Tanzania and require attention to prevent increased triple disease burden of CD, NCD and accident/injuries.
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Affiliation(s)
- S A Narh-Bana
- Dodowa Health Research Centre, Accra Region, Ghana Dangme West District Health Administration, Ghana Health Service, Dodowa, Ghana Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa Ifakara Health Institute, Dar es salaam, Tanzania
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Epidemiology of injuries in Nigeria-a systematic review of mortality and etiology. Prehosp Disaster Med 2011; 26:293-8. [PMID: 22008394 DOI: 10.1017/s1049023x11006546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Trauma is a major health issue worldwide, but especially so in developing countries such as Nigeria, where no comprehensive, national, injury data exist. There is a need to better define the epidemiology of injury as a basis for formulation of violence and injury prevention strategy. METHODS This is a systematic analysis of published data on the epidemiology of injuries. OBJECTIVES The objective of this study was to describe the prevalent causes of injury among adults and children, and the causes of injury mortality. RESULTS The medical records of 15,694 patients from the age of two weeks to 95 years formed the analysed data set. The mean value of their ages was 27 ±13 years and the gender ratio (M:F) 2:1. The injury burden is 11.2/100,000 population. The prevalent causes of injury are: (1) road traffic crashes (RTCs) = 68.4 % of 9939 patients; (2) fall = 5.5%; (3) gunshot injury = 3.2%; and (4) burns = 2.4%. Among children, the leading causes are: (1) RTC = 33.9% of 2,199 patients; (2) fall = 29.1%; (3) foreign body related = 5.5%; (4) bites = 4.9%; and (5) burns = 4%. Mortality resulted mainly from head injury, 26.6% of 575, and hemorrhage 8.3%. CONCLUSIONS Road traffic incidents are the leading cause of injury among adults and children. Falls are six times more prevalent among children than for adults. Burns and firearm injuries are relatively uncommon. Injury mortality results mainly from head injury and hemorrhage.
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Oladepo O, Onyema CR. Knowledge and attitude of safety belt use among professional drivers in a tertiary Nigerian institution. Int J Inj Contr Saf Promot 2011; 18:57-64. [DOI: 10.1080/17457300.2010.517320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Oladimeji Oladepo
- a Department of Health Promotion and Education, Faculty of Public Health , College of Medicine, University of Ibadan , Ibadan, Nigeria
| | - Chika Rose Onyema
- a Department of Health Promotion and Education, Faculty of Public Health , College of Medicine, University of Ibadan , Ibadan, Nigeria
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