Trauma Mortality in The Emergency Department of a Tertiary Hospital in a Low-Income Country: It's Time To Walk The Talks.

BACKGROUND: Trauma in developing countries has assumed an epidemic proportion and is now a public health problem. This is largely due to the rising incidence of road traffic crashes (RTC), increasing urbanization, industrialization and armed conflicts including terrorism fuelled by political, ethnic and religious factors in most developing countries. Unfortunately, this public health menace has not gotten the attention it deserves from the governments of the low-income countries, global non-governmental organisations and the mass media compared to the infectious diseases. METHODS: This was a 2-year retrospective cohort study of trauma patients who presented to our emergency department and died within 72 hours of admission. RESULTS: Within the period, a total of 6,858 patients, consisting of 2,228 trauma patients were admitted into our emergency department. Out of the trauma admissions, 256 patients died; giving a mortality rate of 11.5%. However, only 237 of the dead patients' case files could be reviewed. There were 195 (82.3%) males and 42 (17.7%) females. Majority of the deaths were in the age group 31 years - 45 years, with a mean age of 33.6 years. Road traffic crash was the most common cause of trauma deaths, 194 (81.9%); followed by flame burn, 15 (6.3%). Traumatic brain injury with or without other associated lesser injuries was the predominant diagnosis at presentation, 157 (66.2%). Most of the patients presented within 4 hours of their injuries, 136 (57.4%). Majority of the patients were brought to hospital by other road users, 133 (56.1%); and commercial bus was the commonest mode of transportation of the patients to the hospital, 102 (43.1%). CONCLUSION: The trauma mortality rate in our emergency department calls for urgent intervention measures. Critical amongst them is the need for establishment of a trauma system with an efficient pre-hospital emergency medical service component in our region.