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

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 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.

Risk Factors for Birth Asphyxia in Togo: A Case-Control Study

Background: Birth Asphyxia (BA) is one of the leading causes of neonatal death in developing countries. In Togo, 30.55% of neonatal deaths were related to BA and caused by several risk factors. The purpose of this piece of work is to analyse the antepartum, intrapartum, and foetal risk factors of BA. Methods: This is a case control study, conducted from 1st December 2019 to 28th February 2020 in obstetrics wards and at neonatal intensive care of paediatric ward at the Sylvanus Olympio university teaching hospital (CHU-SO) in Lomé, Togo. Neonates diagnosed with BA (Apgar score < 7 at 5th minute) were considered as “cases” (N = 200) while neonates born either with normal vaginal delivery or by cesarean section having no abnormality were considered as “control” (N = 200). Results: The prevalence rate of BA was 9.13%. Age (p = 0.0391), gravidity (p = 0.0040), type of facility for prenatal follow-up (p < 0.0001), use of Long-lasting impregnated mosquito nets (LLIN) (p < 0.0001), notion of maternal fever (p < 0.0001) and chronic pathology (p < 0.0001) were related to occurrence of BA. Significant antepartum risk factors observed were age < 25 years (OR = 1.15;CI 95% [0.66 - 1.98], p = 0.0391), primigravidity (OR = 1.82;95% CI [0.86 - 3.85], 0.0040), prenatal follow-up in a private one (OR = 1.62;CI95% [1.03 - 12.55], p < 0.0001), non-use of LLIN (OR = 2.50;CI 95% [1.61 - 3.88], p < 0.0001), maternal fever (OR = 3.73;CI 95% [2.33 - 5.97], p < 0.0001) and existence of maternal chronic pathology (OR = 36.0, 95% [4.94 - 262.60], p < 0.0001). Significant intrapartum risk factors were PRM (OR = 7.89;CI 95% [2.62 - 14.02], p < 0.0001), abnormal AF (OR = 5.40;CI 95% [2.57 - 11.38],], p < 0.0001), long labour (OR = 2.11;CI 95% [1.34 - 3.34],], p = 0.0004), use of oxytocin (OR = 2.14;CI 95% [1.38 - 3.32], p = 0.0003), and spontaneous vaginal (OR = 1.76;CI 95% [1.14 - 2.72,], p = 0.0008]). Significant Foetal risk factors were male gender (OR = 1.55;CI 95% [1.03 - 2.33], p = 0.0423), preterm babies (OR = 8.83;CI 95% [3.79 - 20.60], p < 0.0001) and baby birth weight < 2500 gr (OR = 2.96;CI 95% [1.82 - 4.79], p < 0.0001). The Sarnat score had shown anoxo-ischemic encephalopathy stage III (19.00%), corresponding to 87.80% of case fatality rate (p < 0.0001). Conclusion: Various risk factors lead to BA in Lomé. Early identification of high-risk cases with improved antenatal and perinatal care can decrease the high mortality of BA in Togo.

Community workers contribution for data quality improvement in routine health information system: Live births number estimation by capture recapture method

The lack of reliable vital statistics raises questions about the role of the health information system in acquiring such data, which are essential for planning health services and for the general management of the population’s needs. This study analyzed completeness of the vital data registration system and assessed the potential contribution of a community worker net-work to this system in rural Benin. The capture-recapture method was used in this interventional study to estimate the number of live births from three sources: the Routine Health Information System, the municipality, and community workers in two groups of villages. Log linear modelling was carried out with a Bayesian Information Criterion-weighted estimate of the number of live births. The exhaustiveness of the Routine Health Information System was improved by the contribution of the community workers from 29.3% to 42.5% in the first group, and from 61.7% to 77.5% in the second group. Estimating live births by the capture method in rural settings based on the contribution of community workers could be a more efficient alternative to censuses in acquiring reliable vital statistics.