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Rising epidemic of road traffic injuries in Ethiopia: A systematic review of available literature
Abstract
Introduction: Road traffic injury is a silent epidemic causing death in low and middleincome countries, including Ethiopia. In this systematic review, we seek to analyze road traffic injury characteristics in Ethiopia from available literatures.
Methods: An electronic search for road traffic injuries was conducted on peer-reviewed literature and websites from 1965 to 2022. A systematic narrative summary was done on the literature involving study design, study setting, topic focus, results, and other study variables. Identified themes were analyzed.
Result: A total of 451 literature search results were found in the specified period, with 33 of the studies meeting the inclusion criteria. The majority of studies (28/33) were hospital-based. In all reports, a higher proportion of injury was found in economically active age groups, with an age range of 10-50, with the highest proportion of 87.9%. Most of the studies reported a higher proportion (2/3rd) of injuries among male patients. One study (31) gave occupational details of the patients. The majority of the road traffic victims were daily laborers 41.3%. The proportion of pedestrians affected in Addis Ababa was more than in the outskirts, ranging from 62.6-93 % (11, 22, 23), while in the regional hospitals’ report, the range was from 33.4-35.4. In regards to the causes of the accidents, indicated that 84% were due to driver error. After 2004, the incidence of car crashes rapidly increased. In central Ethiopia, the number of crashes, fatal accidents, and non-fatal road traffic collisions had increased by more than double in a six-year period.
Conclusion: This literature review has revealed the increasing burden of road traffic accidents in Ethiopia. People of low socioeconomic status, young age, male sex, and productive communities are disproportionately affected. Urgent action, focusing on human factors, should be taken to prevent road traffic injuries in Ethiopia.
