The epidemiology and characteristics of injuries to under 5's in a secondary city in Uganda: a retrospective review of hospital data.

Child injuries are largely preventable yet cause significant mortality and morbidity globally. Injury data from low-income countries is limited for children under the age of 5 and therefore the current understanding of the magnitude of injuries in this age group is low. Hospital-based registries are one mechanism by which injury data can be gathered. This paper presents findings from a retrospective hospital record review of 4 hospitals in Jinja, a rural setting in Uganda, involving the extraction of data for children under the age of 5-years who sustained an injury during a 6-month period in 2019. A total of 225 injury cases were retrieved from the hospitals. Over half (57.3%) of the events occurred among males. The majority (92%) suffered one injury per injury event. Most of the injuries occurred among those aged 13 to 24 months (32.9%). Burns (32%) and cuts (20%) were the most common cause of injury. This study presents a hospital-based analysis of injuries amongst under 5's in rural Uganda. It provides information on the characteristics of children entering healthcare facilities in Uganda and highlights the burden of paediatric injuries in the hospital setting.

Road traffic injuries and data systems in Egypt: addressing the challenges.

OBJECTIVE: Road traffic injuries (RTIs) are a major cause of global mortality and morbidity, killing approximately 1.3 million people and injuring 20 to 50 million each year. The significance of this public health threat is most pronounced in low- and middle-income countries where 90 percent of the world's road traffic-related fatalities take place. Current estimates for Egypt show a road traffic fatality rate of 42 deaths per 100,000 population-one of the highest in the Eastern Mediterranean Region. RTIs are also responsible for 1.8 percent of all deaths and 2.4 percent of all disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) lost in the country. Despite this, studies surrounding this topic are scarce, and reliable data are limited. The overall goal of this article is to define the health impact of RTIs in Egypt and to identify the strengths and weaknesses of each data source for the purpose of improving the current RTI data systems. METHODS: A 2-pronged approach was undertaken to assess the burden of RTIs in Egypt. First, a thorough literature review was performed using PubMed, Embase, ISIS Web of Knowledge, and Scopus databases. Articles pertaining to Egypt and road traffic injuries were selected for screening. With assistance from Egyptian colleagues, a comprehensive exploration of data sources pertaining to RTIs in Egypt was undertaken and secondary data from these sources were procured for analysis. RESULTS: The literature review yielded a total of 20 studies, of which 6 were multi-country and 5 were hospital-based studies. None examined risk factors such as speeding, alcohol, or seat belt use. Secondary data sources were acquired from national hospital-based injury surveillance; a community-based health survey; pre-hospital injury surveillance; the Ministry of Transport; the General Authority for Roads, Bridges and Land Transport; death certificates; and the central agency for public motorization and statistics. Risk factor data are also limited from these sources. CONCLUSION: The results of this article clearly highlight the significant burden that road traffic injuries pose on the health of the Egyptian population. The hospital-based injury surveillance system that has been established in the country and the use of International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) coding brings the system very closely in line with international guidelines. There is, however, some considerable room for improvement, including the need to extend the coverage of the surveillance system, the inclusion of injury severity scores and disability indicators, and standardization of the sometimes rather disparate sources from various sectors in order to maximally capture the true burden of RTIs.

Burden of road traffic injuries in Turkey.

OBJECTIVE: Road traffic injuries (RTIs) are one of the leading causes of global deaths, contributing to 1.3 million lives lost each year. Although all regions are affected, low- and middle-income countries share a disproportionate burden. The significance of this public health threat is growing in Turkey, where current estimates show that 2.0 percent of all deaths in the country are due to RTIs. Despite the significance of this growing epidemic, data pertaining to RTIs in Turkey are limited. In order to address the gap in knowledge, this article presents an overview of the epidemiology of RTIs in Turkey through an analysis of available secondary data sets and a comprehensive review of scientifically published studies. METHODS: A literature review was performed during December 2010 using PubMed, Embase, and ISIS Web of Knowledge databases and Google search engines. Peer-reviewed literature pertaining to Turkey and RTIs were selected for screening. Secondary data were also procured with assistance from Turkish colleagues through an exploration of data sources pertaining to RTIs in Turkey. RESULTS: The literature review yielded a total of 70 studies with publication years ranging from 1988 to 2010. Secondary data sources were procured from the ministries of Health and Interior as well as the Turkish Statistical Institute. These data sources focus primarily on crashes, injuries, and fatalities (crash rate of 1328.5 per 100,000 population; injury rate of 257.9 per 100,000 population; fatality rate of 5.9 per 100,000). Risk factor data surrounding road safety are limited. CONCLUSION: The findings reveal the significant burden that RTIs pose on the health of the Turkish population. The introduction of new technologies such as the novel digital recording systems in place to record pre-hospital services and Global Positioning System (GPS) tracking of road traffic crashes by the police have allowed for a more accurate picture of the burden of RTIs in Turkey. There are, however, some considerable gaps and limitations within the data systems. Incorporation of standardized definitions, regular data audits, and timely review of collated data will improve the utility of RTI data and allow it to be used for policy influence.

Stakeholder analysis for health research: case studies from low- and middle-income countries.

OBJECTIVES: Future Health Systems: Innovations for Equity (FHS) is working in six partner countries in Asia and Africa, focusing on strengthening the research-policy interface in relation to specific health system research projects. These projects present an opportunity to study the influence of stakeholders on research and policy processes. STUDY DESIGN: Qualitative stakeholder analysis. METHODS: Stakeholder analysis was conducted in each FHS country using a structured approach. A cross-country evaluation was performed concentrating on six key areas: chosen research topic; type of intervention considered; inclusion/exclusion of stakeholder groups; general stakeholder considerations; power level, power type and agreement level of stakeholders; and classification of and approaches to identified stakeholders. RESULTS: All six countries identified a range of stakeholders but each country had a different focus. Four of the six countries identified stakeholders in addition to the guidelines, while some of the stakeholder categories were not identified by countries. The mean power level of identified stakeholders was between 3.4 and 4.5 (1=very low; 5=very high). The percentage of classified stakeholders that were either drivers or supporters ranged from 60% to 91%. CONCLUSION: Three important common areas emerge when examining the execution of the FHS country stakeholder analyses: clarity on the purpose of the analyses; value of internal vs external analysts; and the role of primary vs secondary analyses. This paper adds to the global body of knowledge on the utilization of stakeholder analysis to strengthen the research-policy interface in the developing world.