Injury surveillance in a rural sub-Saharan setting: Results from a surveillance initiative in Nzega District, Tanzania

Introduction: Ninety percent of all injuries occur in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) and most of these injuries are largely preventable. Most injury surveillance systems are focused in large urban settings, which largely ignore injury mechanisms in rural contexts which are critical settings for planning future prevention efforts. Methods: Injury data was collected from July 1 to July 31, 2013 at Nzega District Hospital (NDH) in central Tanzania in the form of an injury questionnaire based off of the WHO’s injury surveillance guidelines. One hundred patients were enrolled and asked questions about the location of their injury, cause of their injury, and many other contextual and demographic factors. Results: Seventy-nine percent of participants were males and the most prevalent injury cause for all participants was road traffic collisions, making up 31% of the injuries. Violence was the second most prevalent cause, accounting for 28% of the injuries, and the number one cause of injuries for women. Twenty-three percent (n=7) of patients suffering from injuries due to road traffic collisions were given a prognosis of long-term disability of six months or more. Forty-four percent of all injuries occurred in the home setting. Conclusion: The incidence rate of injuries overall of 346 per 10 000 per year is consistent with others studies conducted in LMICs and is higher than many infectious diseases that are already considered a pressing public health problem. Injuries create disabilities, which in turn creates an economic burden on the individual, health care system, and society as a whole.