PREVALENCE, INJURY PATTERNS AND TREATMENT OUTCOMES IN VICTIMS OF MOTOR VEHICLE CRASHES AT THE TAMALE TEACHING HOSPITAL IN 2014

Abstract

Background: motor vehicle crashes (MVCs) are a daily and normal phenomenon in Ghana, Africa and the world in entirety, which is fast becoming a serious menace in these modern times. This study was done to assess the prevalence, injury patterns and treatment outcomes in victims of motor vehicle crashes that reported at the Tamale Teaching Hospital. Methods: a retrospective cross-sectional study design was employed to examine casualties of motor vehicle accidents that were admitted at the emergency unit of Tamale Teaching Hospital in 2014. Purposive sampling technique was applied to obtain eligible participants. A Pre-coded structured questionnaire on the prevalence, injury patterns and treatment outcome was used in the collection of data. The data gathered was examined and cleaned for completeness and analysed with Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) windows version 21.0 and excel (2013). Results: findings obtained from the study, indicate that 21.2% of road traffic injuries was caused by motorcycle-motor vehicle, 19.6% of injuries was caused by motorcycle-motorcycle, whiles19.3% was caused by motorcycle alone. No statistical relationship was established between patients’ educational level and wearing of crash helmet at the time of the injury (P > 0.191). The findings showed that 68% of the patient had traumatic brain injury; whiles 14% of the victims had scalp lacerations. 0.8percent of the patients died while on admission. Conclusion: motorcycle-motor vehicle mechanism of injury was the most prevalent with males being the most affected gender. Recommendations were made with regard to serious education by stakeholder state institutions toward the promotion of safety road practices. Key words: Road Traffic Injury, Accident and emergency, Tamale teaching Hospital, Motorcycles, Motor vehicle crashes, pedestrians, motor vehicles.