Injury characteristics and outcome of road traffic crash victims at Bugando Medical Centre in Northwestern Tanzania
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Summary
This study addresses the lack of local data regarding road traffic crashes (RTCs) in Tanzania, a developing nation where RTCs constitute a growing public health burden. The research aimed to describe the injury characteristics and clinical outcomes of RTC victims at Bugando Medical Centre in Northwestern Tanzania to provide baseline data for prevention strategies and treatment protocols. The researchers conducted a prospective, hospital-based study between March 2010 and February 2011. They consecutively enrolled 1,678 RTC victims who presented to the Accident and Emergency department. Data were collected via pre-tested questionnaires and analyzed using SPSS software. Injury severity was assessed using the Kampala Trauma Score II (KTS II) and the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS). Statistical analyses included multivariate logistic regression to identify predictors of hospital stay length and mortality. The study population consisted predominantly of males (67.2%) with a mean age of 29.45 years; the modal age group was 21–30 years. Students (58.8%) and businessmen (35.9%) were the most affected occupational groups. Motorcycles were involved in 58.8% of crashes, and pedestrians accounted for 55.4% of victims. Musculoskeletal injuries (60.5%) and head injuries (52.1%) were the most common, with open wounds (65.9%) and fractures (26.3%) being the primary injury types. Most patients (80.3%) underwent surgical treatment, primarily wound debridement (81.2%). The overall mortality rate was 17.5%, and the complication rate was 23.7%, with wound sepsis being the most frequent complication. Multivariate analysis identified severe trauma (KTS II ≤ 6), long bone fractures, patient age, admission systolic blood pressure < 90 mmHg, and severe head injury (GCS 3–8) as significant predictors of prolonged hospital stay and mortality. The findings highlight that RTCs cause significant morbidity and mortality in this setting, particularly among young, economically active males. The high prevalence of motorcycle-related injuries and pedestrian victims, coupled with low helmet and seatbelt usage, underscores the need for urgent preventive measures. The study concludes that early recognition and prompt treatment are essential for optimal outcomes, while improved pre-hospital care and traffic safety policies are necessary to reduce the burden of RTCs in Tanzania.
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| Stage | Outcome | Tool | Model | Prompt | Attempts | Completed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| discover | success | OpenAlex-citations | — | — | 1 | 2026-06-19 |
| archive | success | unpaywall | — | — | 2 | 2026-06-26 |
| extract | success | cached | — | — | 2 | 2026-06-26 |
| clean | success | clean | — | — | 1 | 2026-06-20 |
| chunk | success | chunk | — | — | 1 | 2026-06-20 |
| embed | success | embed | Qwen/Qwen3-Embedding-8B | — | 1 | 2026-06-20 |
| promote | success | — | — | — | 1 | 2026-06-19 |
| summarize | success | llm | qwen3.6-27b-prismaquant | summ-v5 | 1 | 2026-06-26 |
| tag | success | vector_similarity | — | — | 6 | 2026-06-20 |
| verify | success | — | — | — | 1 | 2026-06-26 |
Summary generated by qwen3.6-27b-prismaquant on 2026-06-26; verification: verified.
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- Empirical Findings: crash risk outcomes