Pattern and Burden of Road Traffic Accidents in Tertiary Care Public Hospital, District Central, Karachi from 2016 to 2018

Mughal, Rehan Ahmed; Hydrie, Muhammad Zafar Iqbal; Islam, Sana Adeeba; Jafry, Syed Imtiaz Ali; Shaikh, Munir Ahmed; Naqvi, Syed Muhammad Zulfiqar Hyder · 2021 · DOAJ

DOI: 10.58397/ashkmdc.v26i1.429

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Summary

This study assesses the burden and patterns of road traffic accidents (RTAs) presenting to the trauma center of a tertiary care public hospital in District Central, Karachi, Pakistan, between 2016 and 2018. Motivated by the rising economic and health impacts of RTAs in developing nations, particularly Pakistan, the research aims to update local data to inform prevention strategies and healthcare resource allocation. The authors highlight that while industrialization increases transport fleets, developing countries often lack the regulatory infrastructure to mitigate resulting mortality and morbidity. The researchers conducted a retrospective cross-sectional study using medical records from Abbasi Shaheed Hospital. The study included 2,857 individuals who met the criteria for RTA involvement—accidents on public roads involving at least one moving vehicle—with complete medical records. Data collected included socio-demographic information, clinical history, injury nature, and outcomes. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 20 to evaluate continuous and categorical variables. Key findings indicate a significant increase in RTA cases over the three-year period, rising from 699 in 2016 to 1,169 in 2018. The mean age of patients was 29.3 years, with the 16–30 age group comprising the largest proportion (40.2%). Males were disproportionately affected, accounting for 80.9% of cases. The overall mortality rate was 2% (57 deaths), with the highest absolute number of deaths occurring in the neurosurgery department, reflecting the severity of head injuries. Regarding patient outcomes, 51.3% were normally discharged, while 46.7% left against medical advice (AMA). Notably, the percentage of AMA cases decreased from 54.5% in 2016 to 38.3% in 2018, while normal discharges increased, suggesting growing patient confidence in the hospital’s facilities. Accidents peaked between 1 pm and 4 pm, coinciding with school dismissal times. The study concludes that RTAs pose a substantial burden on young males in Karachi, necessitating targeted educational programs and policies promoting safe driving behaviors. The high prevalence of head injuries underscores the critical need for robust neurosurgical facilities and public awareness regarding helmet use. The decreasing trend in AMA cases indicates improving healthcare delivery and patient trust. These findings emphasize the importance of multi-disciplinary efforts involving traffic police, public health departments, and healthcare providers to reduce RTA-related morbidity and mortality in line with global sustainable development goals.

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Topics

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• fatality injury trends
• demographic disparities
• incidence prevalence

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• Empirical Findings: crash risk outcomes