Associated factor related head injury from road traffic injury in Thaluang Hospital, Thailand

Abstract

Background Road traffic accident is one of the major problems around the world causing death and handicap. Thaluang district has the second highest number of road traffic accidents in Lopburi province. Road traffic accidents are also the most common visit cases in the emergency department at Thaluang hospital. Therefore, the traffic safety campaign was started in Thaluang district. However, the number of injury and death from road traffic injury is still high. There is still limited evidence on associated factors related to head injury in road traffic injury.

Methods This is a retrospective cross-sectional 3-year study of road traffic injured patients attending a first-level referral (F2) hospital, Thaluang hospital, in Lopburi province, Thailand from January 2016 – December 2018. We included patients who suffered from road traffic injury in Thaluang district area and visited Thaluang hospital. Data was collected using road traffic injury online records of Lopburi province. Finally, the data was analysed by SPSS version 22.

Results A total of 1,117 patients were included in this study. The overall prevalence of head injury from road traffic injury at Thaluang hospital is 11.1%. The factors including not following safety protocols (odds ratio 5.39, 95%CI 1.02-28.63), and not following the law (odds ratio 7.56, 95%CI 1.42-40.26), were statistically associated with head injury from road traffic injury by analysis using multiple logistic regression analysis.

Conclusion The overall prevalence of head injury from road traffic injury at Thaluang hospital is persistently high over a 3-year period. It is significantly associated with not following safety protocols and not following the law. Therefore, despite continuing campaign for more than three years, we suggested that the campaign should still be emphasized more about wearing a helmet, wear a safety belt, and encouraging people to follow the law.