Treatment Outcome, Pattern of Injuries and Associated Factors Among Traumatic Patients Attending Emergency Department of Dessie City Government Hospitals, Northeast Ethiopia: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Abstract

Background: Traumatic injuries are a major cause of emergency room visits and hospital workload, and they are a global health concern. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the pattern of injuries, treatment outcomes, and associated factors among traumatic patients attending the emergency department of Dessie City Government Hospitals, Northeast Ethiopia.

Methods: An institutional-based retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted among 415 traumatic patients selected by using a systematic random sampling technique, from July 1, 2019, to June 30, 2022. Data were collected through document review. The data were presented with frequency tables and graphs. Data were entered using EPI data version 4.6 and exported to SPSS version 26 for analysis. Both bi-variable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to analyze the relationship between the independent variable and the outcome variable. As a measure of association, the adjusted odds ratio was utilized, which has a 95% confidence level. Statistically significant variables were those with a p-value of less than 0.05.

Results: From 420 patient charts, 415 traumatic patients' charts were reviewed in this study, with a response rate of 98.8%. The prevalence of good treatment outcomes among traumatic patients was found to be 67% [95% CI: 62.2, 72.0]. In the final multivariable analysis, having comorbidity [AOR=, 0.31 95% CI: 0.16, 0.60], arriving within one hour [AOR=4.79, 95% CI: 2.10, 10.94], arriving two up to twenty-four hours [AOR=2.25, 95% CI: 1.34, 3.78] and being conscious at admission [AOR=1.82, 95% CI: 1.02, 3.26] had a significant association with a good treatment outcome among traumatic patients.

Conclusion: Trauma constitutes a major public health problem in our setting and contributes significantly to unacceptably high morbidity and mortality. Interventions should be targeted at urgent injury prevention and management strategies, along with the establishment of a pre-hospital emergency medical service system.