Injury characteristics*
| Mechanism of injury, N (%) | Patients, N=34 |
|---|---|
| Motor vehicle | 13 (38) |
| Motorcycle accident | 8 (23) |
| Pedestrian versus automobile | 4 (12) |
| Assault | 2 (5) |
| Gunshot wound | 1 (2) |
| Fall | 5 (15) |
| Burn | 1 (2) |
| Known injury types,† N (%) | |
| Head injury | 15 (44) |
| Spinal cord or back injury | 3 (9) |
| Thoracic injury | 5 (15) |
| Pelvic fracture | 5 (15) |
| Open fractures | 10 (29) |
| Closed fractures | 13 (38) |
| Burns | 1 (2) |
| Transportation to first healthcare facility N (%) | |
| Private car | 12 (35) |
| Car Taxi/auto rickshaw | 9 (26) |
| Motorcycle taxi | 2 (6) |
| Bus | 2 (6) |
| Carried | 2 (6) |
| Unknown | 7 (20) |
| First healthcare facility, N (%) | |
| Dispensary | 4 (12) |
| Health centre | 7 (20) |
| District hospital | 12 (35) |
| Private hospital | 6 (17) |
| Military hospital | 3 (8) |
| Direct to MNH | 2 (6) |
*Owing to limited diagnostic testing and the small size of this cohort, these numbers likely underestimate the true rate of injuries and do not reflect the distribution of injuries in the department as a whole.
†There may be more than one injury type per individual. Identification of injuries is limited by lack of imaging, so this information may reflect physical exam, limited plain film use or ED ultrasound findings.
ED, emergency departement; MNH, Muhimbili National Hospital.