Skip to main content
Key Specialties
Cardiology Diabetology Endocrinology Gastroenterology Geriatrics and Gerontology Gynecology and Obstetrics Hematology Infectious Disease Internal Medicine Nephrology Neurology Oncology Pediatrics Respiratory Medicine Rheumatology Surgery
Congress Coverage
2024 ACC Congress 2023 ESMO Congress 2023 EASD Congress 2023 ERS Congress 2023 ESC Congress 2023 EHA Congress 2023 ASCO Annual Meeting
Clinical Collections
Advances in Alzheimer’s

At a glance: The ONWARDS insulin icodec trials

A round-up of the ONWARDS phase 3 clinical trials evaluating the novel weekly insulin icodec in people with diabetes.
ADVANCED SEARCH
Log in
Top
BMC Public Health
Published in: BMC Public Health 1/2015

Open Access 01-12-2015 | Research article

A prospective pilot cohort analysis of crash characteristics and pattern of injuries in riders and pillion passengers involved in motorcycle crashes in an urban area in Cameroon: lessons for prevention

Authors: Alain Chichom-Mefire, Julius Atashili, Jean G. Tsiagadigui, Clovis Fon-Awah, Marcelin Ngowe-Ngowe

Published in: BMC Public Health | Issue 1/2015

Login to get access

Abstract

Background

Low and middle-income countries carry over ninety per cent of the burden of injury related mortality and disability. Motorcycles are gradually becoming a major mode of transportation in Cameroon and other African countries in the absence of an organized public transport. Consequently, the contribution of motorcycle crash to injury-related deaths seems to be on the rise. Currently, data addressing motorcycle crash characteristics, pattern, and severity of motorcycle-related injuries in Cameroon are scarce. We hypothesised that head and limb injuries are the most frequent cause of morbidity and mortality and equally affect riders and pillion passengers.

Methods

This hospital-based prospective pilot cohort analysis involving 405 motorcycle crashes and 621 injury victims was conducted in Laquintinie Hospital, a large centre located in an urban area in Cameroon. All motorcycle riders and passengers received in the emergency department over a 4 months period with an injury following a traffic related crash were included. Crash characteristics and type, anatomical location and severity of injuries were recorded and analysed comparing the pattern of injuries between riders and pillion passengers involved in motorcyclecrashes. This pilot analysis is expected to propose a snapshot of motorcycle injuries in Douala and will be followed by a larger analysis over a longer period.

Results

We recorded a majority of motorcycle versus car and motorcycle versus motorcycle collisions. Most of these crashes occurred over the week-end and in the night. Helmet use was almost inexistent. We observed that females aged above 40 years represented the majority of pillion passengers. This accounted for the sex-ratio of 1.1/1. A total of 1311 injuries were identified in our patients, giving a mean of 2.1 injuries per victim. The head and the limbs were the most affected anatomical areas. Riders carried a higher risk of sustaining an injury to head and neck than pillion passengers. Riders and pillion passengers carried equal risk of injury to the lower limbs. Emergency room mortality was 4 · 3 % and riders were more likely to die than pillion passengers.

Conclusion

This study has identified females aged above 40 years as a special vulnerable group in Douala. It also carries strong messages useful for the implementation of preventive measures and management of patients injured in motorcycle-related crash in general.
Literature
1.
2.
Murray CJ, Lopez AD. Mortality by cause for eight regions of the world: Global Burden of Disease Study. Lancet. 1997;349(9061):1269–76.CrossRefPubMed
3.
Nordberg E. Injuries as a public health problem in sub-Saharan Africa: epidemiology and prospects for control. East Afr Med J. 2000;77(12 Suppl):S1–43.PubMed
4.
5.
Peden M, Scurfi Eld R, Sleet D, et al. World report on road traffic injury prevention. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2004.
6.
7.
Keall MD, Newstead S. Analysis of factors that increase motorcycle rider risk compared to car driver risk. Accid Anal Prev. 2012;49:23–9.CrossRefPubMed
8.
Chichom Mefire A, Etoundi Mballa GA, Azabji Kenfack M, Juillard C, Stevens K. Hospital-based injury data from level III institution in Cameroon: Retrospective analysis of the present registration system. Injury. 2013;44(1):139–43.CrossRefPubMed
9.
Odero W, Garner P, Zwi A. Road traffic injuries in developing countries: A comprehensive review of epidemiological studies. Trop Med Int Health. 1997;2:445–60.CrossRefPubMed
10.
Santamariña-Rubio E, Pérez K, Ricart I, Arroyo A, Castellà J, Borrell C. Injury profiles of road traffic deaths. Accid Anal Prev. 2007;39(1):1–5.CrossRefPubMed
11.
Lateef F. Riding motorcycles: is it a lower limb hazard? Singapore Med J. 2002;43(11):566–9.PubMed
12.
Lin MR, Kraus JF. A review of risk factors and patterns of motorcycle injuries. Accid Anal Prev. 2009;41(4):710–22.CrossRefPubMed
13.
Cunningham G, Chenik D, Zellweger R. Factors influencing motorcycle crash victim outcomes: a prospective study. ANZ J Surg. 2012;82(7–8):551–4.CrossRefPubMed
14.
Beck LF, Dellinger AM, O’Neil ME. Motor vehicle crash injury rates by mode of travel, United States: using exposure-based methods to quantify differences. Am J Epidemiol. 2007;166(2):212–8.CrossRefPubMed
15.
Markogiannakis H, Sanidas E, Messaris E, Koutentakis D, Alpantaki K, Kafetzakis A, et al. Motor vehicle trauma: analysis of injury profiles by road-user category. Emerg Med J. 2006;23(1):27–31.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
16.
Zargar M, Khaji A, Karbakhsh M. Pattern of motorcycle-related injuries in Tehran, 1999 to 2000: a study in 6 hospitals. East Mediterr Health J. 2006;12(1–2):81–7.PubMed
17.
Nwadiaro HC, Ekwe KK, Akpayak IC, Shitta H. Motorcycle injuries in north-central Nigeria. Niger J Clin Pract. 2011;14(2):186–9.CrossRefPubMed
18.
Juillard C, Etoundi Mballa GA, Bilounga Ndongo C, Stevens KA, Hyder AA. Patterns of Injury and Violence in Yaoundé Cameroon: An Analysis of Hospital Data. World J Surg. 2010;29.
19.
20.
McGreevy J1, Stevens KA2, Ekeke Monono M3, Etoundi Mballa GA4, Kouo Ngamby M5, Hyder AA6, et al. Road traffic injuries in Yaoundé, Cameroon: A hospital-based pilot surveillance study. Injury. 2014;45(11):1687–92.CrossRefPubMed
21.
Fitzharris M, Dandona R, Kumar GA, Dandona L. Crash characteristics and patterns of injury among hospitalized motorised two-wheeled vehicle users in urban India. BMC Public Health. 2009;9:11.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
22.
Crandon IW, Harding HE, Cawich SO, McDonald AH, Fearron-Boothe D. Motorcycle accident injury profiles in Jamaica: an audit from the University Hospital of the West Indies. Int J Inj Contr Saf Promot. 2009;16(3):175–8.CrossRefPubMed
23.
Sirathranont J, Kasantikul V. Mortality and injury from motorcycle collisions in Phetchaburi Province. J Med Assoc Thai. 2003;86(2):97–102.PubMed
24.
Zhao H, Chen R, Deng G, Yin Z, Yang G, Liu S, et al. Comparison of injuries sustained by drivers and pillion passengers in fatal head-on motorcycle collision accidents. Forensic Sci Int. 2011;207(1–3):188–92.CrossRefPubMed
25.
Alıcıoğlu B, Yalnız E, Eşkin D, Yılmaz B. Injuries associated with motorcycle accidents. Acta Orthop Traumatol Turc. 2008;42(2):106–11.PubMed
26.
Bradbury A, Robertson C. Pattern and severity of injury sustained by motorcyclists in road traffic accidents in Edinburgh, Scotland. Health Bull (Edinb). 1993;51(2):86–91.
27.
Ameratunga S, Hijar M, Norton R. Road-traffic injuries: Confronting disparities to address a global-health problem. Lancet. 2006;367:1533–40.CrossRefPubMed
28.
Von Elm E, Altman DG, Egger M, et al. The Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) statement: guidelines for reporting observational studies. Lancet. 2007;370(9596):1453–7.CrossRef
29.
Oginni FO, Ugboko VI, Adewole RA. Knowledge, attitude, and practice of Nigerian commercial motorcyclists in the use of crash helmet and other safety measures. Traffic Inj Prev. 2007;8(2):137–41.CrossRefPubMed
30.
Nzegwu MA, Aligbe JU, Banjo AA, Akhiwui W, Nzegwu CO. Patterns of morbidity and mortality amongst motorcycle riders and their passengers in Benin-City Nigeria: one-year review. Ann Afr Med. 2008;7(2):82–5.CrossRefPubMed
31.
Hefny AF, Barss P, Eid HO, Abu-Zidan FM. Motorcycle-related injuries in the United Arab Emirates. Accid Anal Prev. 2012;49:245–8.CrossRefPubMed
32.
Lagarde E. Road traffic injury is an escalating burden in Africa and deserves proportionate research efforts. PLoS Med. 2007;4(6), e170.CrossRefPubMed
33.
Solagberu BA, Ofoegbu CK, Nasir AA, Ogundipe OK, Adekanye AO, Abdur-Rahman LO. Motorcycle injuries in a developing country and the vulnerability of riders, passengers, and pedestrians. Inj Prev. 2006;12(4):266–8.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
34.
Oginni FO, Ugboko VI, Ogundipe O, Adegbehingbe BO. Motorcycle-related maxillofacial injuries among Nigerian intracity road users. J Oral Maxillofac Surg. 2006;64(1):56–62.CrossRefPubMed
35.
Parreira JG, Gregorut F, Perlingeiro JA, Solda SC, Assef JC. Comparative analysis of injuries observed in motorcycle riders involved in traffic accidents and victims of other blunt trauma mechanisms. Rev Assoc Med Bras. 2012;58(1):76–81.PubMed
36.
Peek C, Braver ER, Shen H, Kraus JF. Lower extremity injuries from motorcycle crashes: a common cause of preventable injury. J Trauma. 1994;37(3):358–64.CrossRefPubMed
Metadata
Title
A prospective pilot cohort analysis of crash characteristics and pattern of injuries in riders and pillion passengers involved in motorcycle crashes in an urban area in Cameroon: lessons for prevention
Authors
Alain Chichom-Mefire
Julius Atashili
Jean G. Tsiagadigui
Clovis Fon-Awah
Marcelin Ngowe-Ngowe
Publication date
01-12-2015
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Public Health / Issue 1/2015
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2458
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-015-2290-4

Other articles of this Issue 1/2015

BMC Public Health 1/2015 Go to the issue

Research article

Predictors of early breastfeeding initiation among mothers of children under 24 months of age in rural part of West Ethiopia

Research article

A systematic review of the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of peer education and peer support in prisons

Research article

Cannabis use and other predictors of the onset of daily cigarette use in young men: what matters most? Results from a longitudinal study

Research article

Parental perceptions of barriers and facilitators to preventing child unintentional injuries within the home: a qualitative study

Research article

Examining mortality among formerly homeless adults enrolled in Housing First: An observational study

Research article

Perceived social support disparities among children affected by HIV/AIDS in Ghana: a cross-sectional survey