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Abstract
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Background School Area Road Safety Assessments and Improvements (SARSAI) is a community-based road traffic injury prevention program that combines minor infrastructure improvements with road safety education at primary schools. In 2015, SARSAI was implemented in 9 schools in Dar es Salaam. We report the results of a pre-intervention population-based survey conducted to establish a baseline of child road traffic injuries in communities near schools eligible for the intervention.
Methods A household census was conducted in a sample of 22 communities around schools eligible for SARSAI, including 15,480 parents or guardians of children ages 5-16. Parents or guardians were asked basic demographic information about children in the household, and if any children had been involved in a road traffic crash in the past year. If a child had been injured or killed in a crash, a detailed questionnaire was given to the parent or guardian to collect information on the circumstances of the injury, health outcomes, and long-term functional status. Data were collected over the 3 months preceding the intervention.
Results The survey identified 199 child road traffic injuries in the past year. About 83.4% of injuries required medical attention. Three injuries resulted in permanent disability, and 7 children were killed by road traffic crashes. Legs (38.2%), head (22.6%), or arms (15.6%) were the most common body areas injured. Most injuries (62.4%) occurred while walking to school and most resulted from a crash with a motorcycle (48%) or private car (24.5%).
Conclusions Road traffic injuries were a substantial problem among primary school students. Interventions, such as SARSAI, to protect children walking to school from motor vehicles have the potential to reduce injuries. A post-intervention survey conducted one year after the intervention will provide insight into the effectiveness of the SARSAI program.
Abstract from Safety 2016 World Conference, 18-21 September 2016; Tampere, Finland.
Copyright © 2016 The author(s), Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions
Language: en |