Home Accidents Equally Significant as Road Traffic Incidents, New Study Reveals

Recent research highlights that accidents occurring within homes are a major cause of injuries requiring medical attention in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The study, led by the University of Birmingham, emphasizes that these non-traffic-related injuries are often overlooked but pose a substantial health burden, particularly impacting women.

While international health initiatives traditionally prioritize road traffic crashes (RTCs), the data indicates that non-RTC injuries are nearly triple in prevalence, affecting about 5.6% of the population compared to 1.7%. Falls are identified as the leading cause of such injuries, with most happening at home. Interestingly, a significant proportion of injuries also occur on or around roads, but homes remain the primary setting for non-traffic injuries.

The study analyzed data from nearly 48,000 individuals aged 15 to 64 across 12 LMICs, spanning four WHO regions, including countries like Azerbaijan, Bhutan, Ethiopia, and Ukraine. Findings showed women are more prone to sustain injuries at home, with over half of their injuries occurring indoors. Conversely, men more frequently experience injuries at workplaces and on roads.

Researchers observed that factors such as being female, married, or older tend to lower injury risk, whereas having primary education and living in urban areas increase the likelihood. The findings challenge the common perception that road traffic accidents are the leading cause of injuries globally, underscoring falling and other indoor injuries as critical issues.

Lead author Dr. Leila Ghalichi explained that these insights call for expanding injury prevention strategies beyond roads to include domestic safety measures. This approach could involve public education, improved data collection, and targeted interventions to mitigate risks within homes. Dr. Michaela Theilman and Professor Justine Davies emphasized integrating injury surveillance into universal health coverage and investing in infrastructure improvements, particularly road conditions, to prevent non-traffic injuries.

The study notes that nearly 7% of adults experience non-fatal injuries annually that require medical care, prompting health systems to allocate resources accordingly for emergency and rehabilitative services, not just trauma from road accidents. Addressing these overlooked causes of injury, especially among women, can substantially reduce the health burden in LMICs.

For more details, visit the original study in the Journal of Epidemiology and Global Health.