Citation

Chowdhury SM, Rahman A, Mashreky SR, Fazlur Rahman AKM. Inj. Prev. 2010; 16(Suppl 1): A192.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2010, BMJ Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1136/ip.2010.029215.686

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Introduction Road traffic injuries are deadly, taking lives of over 1.27 million men, women and children around the world every year. In the developing countries road traffic injuries generally affects males in the productive age ranges from 15-44 years. Road traffic injuries affect individuals, families, communities and nations as a whole. Being a low-income country, impact of road traffic injuries in the productive age groups in Bangladesh is enormous. However, road safety is still a neglected issue relative to other health concerns.

Objectives To estimate the magnitude and impact of road traffic injuries in Bangladesh among the population in the productive age groups.

Methodology A population-based household survey was conducted between January and December 2003 in Bangladesh. Multistage Cluster Sampling was used to choose nationally representative sample from 171 366 households of the country comprising of a total 421 629 population of 18-59 years. Data collected from the households on death or morbidity in the year preceding the survey. Causes of deaths and morbidities were determined using verbal autopsy and verbal diagnosis forms respectively.

Results Road traffic injury was the leading cause of injury mortality and morbidity. It comprises 37.6% and 24.6% of total injury mortality and morbidity respectively. Most of the victims were the main earning member (57%) of the family and 15% families had permanent and major economic problem due to injury.

Conclusion Result of the study could be an insight to the policymakers for priority setting and developing appropriate strategies.