Prevalence and predictors of injuries in Kenya: findings from the national STEPs survey

• Published in: BMC public health 2018-11, Vol.18 (Suppl 3), p.1222-1222, Article 1222
• Main Authors: Gathecha, Gladwell Koku, Ngaruiya, Christine, Mwai, Wilfred, Kendagor, Ann, Owondo, Scholastica, Nyanjau, Loise, Kibogong, Duncan, Odero, Wilson, Kibachio, Joseph
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Adults; Aged; Crashes; Demographic aspects; Diagnosis; Drinking behavior; Driving; Driving ability; Drunkenness; Economic development; Economics; Emergency medical care; Fatalities; Female; Households; Humans; Injuries; Injury prevention; Kenya; Kenya - epidemiology; Logistic regression; Male; Males; Mass media; Middle Aged; Mortality; Occupant injuries; Passenger safety; Population based survey; Prevalence; Prevalence studies (Epidemiology); Protective equipment; Public health; Risk analysis; Risk Factors; Roads; Seat belts; Smoking; Students; Studies; Surveys and Questionnaires; Traffic accidents; Traffic accidents & safety; Violence; Well being; Wounds and Injuries - epidemiology; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1471-2458; 1471-2458
• DOI: 10.1186/s12889-018-6061-x

Injuries are becoming an increasingly important public health challenge globally, and are responsible for 9% of deaths. Beyond their impact on health and well-being, fatal and non-fatal injuries also affect social and economic development for individuals concerned. Kenya has limited data on the magnitude and factors associated with injuries. This study sought to determine the magnitude and risk factors for injuries in Kenya and to identify where the largest burden lies. A national population-based household survey was conducted from April-June 2015 among adults age 18-69 years. A three-stage cluster sample design was used to select clusters, households and eligible individuals based on WHO guidelines. We estimated the prevalence of injuries, identified factors associated with injuries and the use of protective devices/practices among road users. Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify potential factors associated with injuries. A total of 4484 adults were included in the study. Approximately 15% had injuries from the past 12 months, 60.3% were males. Four percent of the respondents had been injured in a road traffic crash, 10.9% had experienced unintentional injuries other than road traffic injuries while 3.7% had been injured in violent incidents. Among drivers and passengers 12.5% reported always using a seatbelt and 8.1% of the drivers reported driving while drunk. The leading causes of injuries other than road traffic crashes were falls (47.6%) and cuts (34.0%). Males (p = 0.001), age 18-29 (p