Disability and Related Factors among Road Traffic Accident Victims in Benin: Study from Five Public and Faith-Based Hospitals in Urban and Suburban Areas

Abstract

Introduction: Road traffic accidents (RTAs) are a major public health issue in developing countries, where roads tend to be built haphazardly and accidents take a heavy toll on victims-including leaving them disabled. This study seeks to identify those factors that cause RTA victims to become disabled as a result of their injuries. Methods: This retrospective community based study looked at RTA victims treated in five public and faith-based hospitals in Benin. Disability was evaluated using the Washington Group on Disabilities Statistics questionnaire. The independent variables were related to the victim's socio-demographic traits, the circumstances of the accident, and post-crash response mechanisms. The proportions were compared using the chi-squared test, with a threshold of 5%. Results: The prevalence of disability among road traffic accident victims is 9.59% (CI 95%: 6.86%-13.20%). The occurrence of disability is associated with age (p = 0.002), occupational group (p = 0.0077), the mode of transport used to transfer the victim (p < 0.001) and the location of the injuries (p = 0.0035). The study also found that people fail to make sufficient use of post-crash response mechanisms. Conclusion: Public policy-makers should therefore focus on stepping up interventions to get more people using both protective equipment and post-crash response services.