Clinical profile and outcome of road traffic accidents among adult patients treated at urban government…

Cross-sectionalAfrican journal of emergency medicine : Revue africaine de la medecine d'urgence· Sep 2026

Clinical profile and outcome of road traffic accidents among adult patients treated at urban government hospitals in Ethiopia.

Ayenew Amare, Rediet Getu, Bitania Debalkew … Aklilu Azazh

Prehospital & RetrievalCross-sectionalClinical practiceQ2IF 1.2

Emergency department mortality among road traffic injury patients in Ethiopia was low, at 1.8%.

Clinical profile and outcome of road traffic accidents among adult patients treated at urban government hospitals in Ethiopia.

Ayenew Amare … Aklilu Azazh

African journal of emergency medicine · Sep 2026 · Q2 in Emergency Medicine

Background

Around 1.19 million people per year die as a result of traffic collisions worldwide.

Purpose

This study assessed the clinical profile, emergency department (emergency department) visit outcome, and factors associated with emergency department mortality of road traffic injuries victims treated at five selected government hospitals in Addis Ababa.

Methods

An institutional-based prospective cross-sectional study was conducted by interviewing road traffic injuries victims and attendants as well as reviewing their charts in July 2023.

n = 247 samples

1.8%

Results

1.8%

1.8% of road traffic injury patients died before leaving the emergency department.

n = 247 samples

More results

The male-to-female ratio was 2.07:1, with the 24-33 age group predominantly affected by trauma.

Ambulance was the predominant mode of arrival to the hospital (89.7%).

Mostly pedestrians were affected, 161 (71.9%).

More results

Although the largest group of injured patients (94, 42.0%) were treated and immediately discharged from the emergency department, a significant number (45, 20.1%) required intensive care unit admission.

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Conclusion · 1 of 3

This study revealed that RTIs primarily affect young, economically engaged men and pedestrians. The overall mortality in the emergency department was low.

Conclusion · 2 of 3

Delayed arrival (1-24 h), lack of pre-hospital care, and poly-trauma were associated with increased emergency department death.

Conclusion · 3 of 3

Various interventions are suggested from improving prehospital emergency care, to improving tertiary hospital trauma care, as well as prevention strategies including promoting public awareness of road traffic injuries dangers.

Clinical profile and outcome of road traffic accidents among adult patients treated at urban government hospitals in Ethiopia.

Clinical profile and outcome of road traffic accidents among adult patients treated at urban government hospitals in Ethiopia.

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