Home-related and work-related injuries in Makwanpur district, Nepal: a household survey.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the epidemiology of home-related and work-related injuries, their mechanisms, inequalities and costs associated with these injuries. METHODS: A household survey was undertaken in three palikas of Makwanpur district between April and June 2019. Data were collected electronically on non-fatal injuries that occurred in the previous 3 months and fatal injuries that occurred in the previous 5 years. FINDINGS: 17 593 individuals were surveyed from 3327 households. Injury rates were 8.0 per 1000 population for home injuries and 6.4 per 1000 for work-related injuries; 61.0% of home injuries were among women and 69.9% of work-related injuries among men. Falls were the cause of 48% home injuries, affecting 50.9% of men and 46.5% of women. Burns/scalds were higher in women than men, affecting 17.4% of women reporting home injuries. Cuts and piercings accounted for 39.8% of all work-related injuries and 36.3% were falls. Injury incidence varied by ethnic group: home injuries were highest in Brahmin (12.0 per 1000) and work-related injuries highest in Rai groups (21.0 per 1000). The total mean costs (transport and treatment) of work-related injury was US$143.3 (SD 276.7), higher than for home injuries (US$130.4, SD 347.6). The number of home (n=74, 64.9%) and work-related (n=67, 77.9%) injuries were higher in families below the poverty line than families in the next income bracket (home: n=22, 19.3%; work: n=11, 12.8%). CONCLUSIONS: Home-related and work-related fall injuries are common. The inequalities in injury identified in our study by rurality, age, sex, income level and ethnic group can help target injury prevention interventions for vulnerable groups.

Burden of injuries in Nepal, 1990-2017: findings from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017.

BACKGROUND: Nepal is a low-income country undergoing rapid political, economic and social development. To date, there has been little evidence published on the burden of injuries during this period of transition. METHODS: The Global Burden of Disease Study (GBD) is a comprehensive measurement of population health outcomes in terms of morbidity and mortality. We analysed the GBD 2017 estimates for deaths, years of life lost, years lived with disability, incidence and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) from injuries to ascertain the burden of injuries in Nepal from 1990 to 2017. RESULTS: There were 16 831 (95% uncertainty interval 13 323 to 20 579) deaths caused by injuries (9.21% of all-cause deaths (7.45% to 11.25%)) in 2017 while the proportion of deaths from injuries was 6.31% in 1990. Overall, the injury-specific age-standardised mortality rate declined from 88.91 (71.54 to 105.31) per 100 000 in 1990 to 70.25 (56.75 to 85.11) per 100 000 in 2017. In 2017, 4.11% (2.47% to 6.10%) of all deaths in Nepal were attributed to transport injuries, 3.54% (2.86% to 4.08%) were attributed to unintentional injuries and 1.55% (1.16% to 1.85%) were attributed to self-harm and interpersonal violence. From 1990 to 2017, road injuries, falls and self-harm all rose in rank for all causes of death. CONCLUSIONS: The increase in injury-related deaths and DALYs in Nepal between 1990 and 2017 indicates the need for further research and prevention interventions. Injuries remain an important public health burden in Nepal with the magnitude and trend of burden varying over time by cause-specific, sex and age group. Findings from this study may be used by the federal, provincial and local governments in Nepal to prioritise injury prevention as a public health agenda and as evidence for country-specific interventions.

Epidemiology of injuries from fire, heat and hot substances: global, regional and national morbidity and mortality estimates from the Global Burden of Disease 2017 study.

BACKGROUND: Past research has shown how fires, heat and hot substances are important causes of health loss globally. Detailed estimates of the morbidity and mortality from these injuries could help drive preventative measures and improved access to care. METHODS: We used the Global Burden of Disease 2017 framework to produce three main results. First, we produced results on incidence, prevalence, years lived with disability, deaths, years of life lost and disability-adjusted life years from 1990 to 2017 for 195 countries and territories. Second, we analysed these results to measure mortality-to-incidence ratios by location. Third, we reported the measures above in terms of the cause of fire, heat and hot substances and the types of bodily injuries that result. RESULTS: Globally, there were 8 991 468 (7 481 218 to 10 740 897) new fire, heat and hot substance injuries in 2017 with 120 632 (101 630 to 129 383) deaths. At the global level, the age-standardised mortality caused by fire, heat and hot substances significantly declined from 1990 to 2017, but regionally there was variability in age-standardised incidence with some regions experiencing an increase (eg, Southern Latin America) and others experiencing a significant decrease (eg, High-income North America). CONCLUSIONS: The incidence and mortality of injuries that result from fire, heat and hot substances affect every region of the world but are most concentrated in middle and lower income areas. More resources should be invested in measuring these injuries as well as in improving infrastructure, advancing safety measures and ensuring access to care.

The burden of unintentional drowning: global, regional and national estimates of mortality from the Global Burden of Disease 2017 Study.

BACKGROUND: Drowning is a leading cause of injury-related mortality globally. Unintentional drowning (International Classification of Diseases (ICD) 10 codes W65-74 and ICD9 E910) is one of the 30 mutually exclusive and collectively exhaustive causes of injury-related mortality in the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study. This study's objective is to describe unintentional drowning using GBD estimates from 1990 to 2017. METHODS: Unintentional drowning from GBD 2017 was estimated for cause-specific mortality and years of life lost (YLLs), age, sex, country, region, Socio-demographic Index (SDI) quintile, and trends from 1990 to 2017. GBD 2017 used standard GBD methods for estimating mortality from drowning. RESULTS: Globally, unintentional drowning mortality decreased by 44.5% between 1990 and 2017, from 531 956 (uncertainty interval (UI): 484 107 to 572 854) to 295 210 (284 493 to 306 187) deaths. Global age-standardised mortality rates decreased 57.4%, from 9.3 (8.5 to 10.0) in 1990 to 4.0 (3.8 to 4.1) per 100 000 per annum in 2017. Unintentional drowning-associated mortality was generally higher in children, males and in low-SDI to middle-SDI countries. China, India, Pakistan and Bangladesh accounted for 51.2% of all drowning deaths in 2017. Oceania was the region with the highest rate of age-standardised YLLs in 2017, with 45 434 (40 850 to 50 539) YLLs per 100 000 across both sexes. CONCLUSIONS: There has been a decline in global drowning rates. This study shows that the decline was not consistent across countries. The results reinforce the need for continued and improved policy, prevention and research efforts, with a focus on low- and middle-income countries.

Burden of injury along the development spectrum: associations between the Socio-demographic Index and disability-adjusted life year estimates from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017.

BACKGROUND: The epidemiological transition of non-communicable diseases replacing infectious diseases as the main contributors to disease burden has been well documented in global health literature. Less focus, however, has been given to the relationship between sociodemographic changes and injury. The aim of this study was to examine the association between disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) from injury for 195 countries and territories at different levels along the development spectrum between 1990 and 2017 based on the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2017 estimates. METHODS: Injury mortality was estimated using the GBD mortality database, corrections for garbage coding and CODEm-the cause of death ensemble modelling tool. Morbidity estimation was based on surveys and inpatient and outpatient data sets for 30 cause-of-injury with 47 nature-of-injury categories each. The Socio-demographic Index (SDI) is a composite indicator that includes lagged income per capita, average educational attainment over age 15 years and total fertility rate. RESULTS: For many causes of injury, age-standardised DALY rates declined with increasing SDI, although road injury, interpersonal violence and self-harm did not follow this pattern. Particularly for self-harm opposing patterns were observed in regions with similar SDI levels. For road injuries, this effect was less pronounced. CONCLUSIONS: The overall global pattern is that of declining injury burden with increasing SDI. However, not all injuries follow this pattern, which suggests multiple underlying mechanisms influencing injury DALYs. There is a need for a detailed understanding of these patterns to help to inform national and global efforts to address injury-related health outcomes across the development spectrum.

The Availability of Emergency Obstetric Care in Birthing Centres in Rural Nepal: A Cross-sectional Survey.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this health system's study is to assess the availability of Emergency Obstetric Care (EmOC) services in birthing centres in Taplejung District of eastern Nepal. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 2018 in all 16 public health facilities providing delivery services in the district. Data collection comprised: (1) quantitative data collected from health workers; (2) observation of key items; and (3) record data extracted from the health facility register. Descriptive statistics were used to calculate readiness scores using unweighted averages. RESULTS: Although key health personnel were available, EmOC services at the health facilities assessed were below the minimum coverage level recommended by the World Health Organisation. Only the district hospital provided the nine signal functions of Comprehensive EmOC. The other fifteen had only partially functioning Basic EmOC facilities, as they did not provide all of the seven signal functions. The essential equipment for performing certain EmOC functions was either missing or not functional in these health facilities. CONCLUSIONS FOR PRACTICE: The Ministry of Health and Population and the federal government need to ensure that the full range of signal functions are available for safe deliveries in partially functioning EmOC health facilities by addressing the issues related to training, equipment, medicine, commodities and policy.

Impact of the roll out of comprehensive emergency obstetric care on institutional birth rate in rural Nepal.

BACKGROUND: Increasing institutional births rates and improving access to comprehensive emergency obstetric care are central strategies for reducing maternal and neonatal deaths globally. While some studies show women consider service availability when determining where to deliver, the dynamics of how and why institutional birth rates change as comprehensive emergency obstetric care availability increases are unclear. METHODS: In this pre-post intervention study, we surveyed two exhaustive samples of postpartum women before and after comprehensive emergency obstetric care implementation at a hospital in rural Nepal. We developed a logistic regression model of institutional birth factors through manual backward selection of all significant covariates within and across periods. Qualitatively, we analyzed birth stories through immersion crystallization. RESULTS: Institutional birth rates increased after comprehensive emergency obstetric care implementation (from 30 to 77%, OR 7.7) at both hospital (OR 2.5) and low-level facilities (OR 4.6, p < 0.01 for all). The logistic regression indicated that comprehensive emergency obstetric care availability (OR 5.6), belief that the hospital is the safest birth location (OR 44.8), safety prioritization in decision-making (OR 7.7), and higher income (OR 1.1) predict institutional birth (p ≤ 0.01 for all). Qualitative analysis revealed comprehensive emergency obstetric care awareness, increased social expectation for institutional birth, and birth planning as important factors. CONCLUSION: Comprehensive emergency obstetric care expansion appears to have generated significant demand for institutional births through increased safety perceptions and birth planning. Increasing comprehensive emergency obstetric care availability increases birth safety, but it may also be a mechanism for increasing the institutional birth rate in areas of under-utilization.

The economic burden of multimorbidity: Protocol for a systematic review.

Multimorbidity, also known as multiple long-term conditions, leads to higher healthcare utilisation, including hospitalisation, readmission, and polypharmacy, as well as a financial burden to families, society, and nations. Despite some progress, the economic burden of multimorbidity remains poorly understood. This paper outlines a protocol for a systematic review that aims to identify and synthesise comprehensive evidence on the economic burden of multimorbidity, considering various definitions and measurements of multimorbidity, including their implications for future cost-of-illness analyses. The review will include studies involving people of all ages with multimorbidity without any restriction on location and setting. Cost-of-illness studies or studies that examined economic burden including model-based studies will be included, and economic evaluation studies will be excluded. Databases including Scopus (that includes PubMed/MEDLINE), Web of Science, CINAHL Plus, PsycINFO, NHS EED (including the HTA database), and the Cost-Effectiveness Analysis Registry, will be searched until March 2024. The risk of bias within included studies will be independently assessed by two authors using appropriate checklists. A narrative synthesis of the main characteristics and results, by definitions and measurements of multimorbidity, will be conducted. The total economic burden of multimorbidity will be reported as mean annual costs per patient and disaggregated based on counts of diseases, disease clusters, and weighted indices. The results of this review will provide valuable insights for researchers into the key cost components and areas that require further investigation in order to improve the rigour of future studies on the economic burden of multimorbidity. Additionally, these findings will broaden our understanding of the economic impact of multimorbidity, inform us about the costs of inaction, and guide decision-making regarding resource allocation and cost-effective interventions. The systematic review's results will be submitted to a peer-reviewed journal, presented at conferences, and shared via an online webinar for discussion.

Economic evaluations of interventional opportunities for the management of mental-physical multimorbidity: a systematic review.

OBJECTIVES: Economic evaluations of interventions for people with mental-physical multimorbidity, including a depressive disorder, are sparse. This study examines whether such interventions in adults are cost-effective. DESIGN: A systematic review. DATA SOURCES: MEDLINE, CINAHL Plus, PsycINFO, Cochrane CENTRAL, Scopus, Web of Science and NHS EED databases were searched until 5 March 2022. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: We included studies involving people aged ≥18 with two or more chronic conditions (one being a depressive disorder). Economic evaluation studies that compared costs and outcomes of interventions were included, and those that assessed only costs or effects were excluded. DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS: Two authors independently assessed risk of bias in included studies using recommended checklists. A narrative analysis of the characteristics and results by type of intervention and levels of healthcare provision was conducted. RESULTS: A total of 19 studies, all undertaken in high-income countries, met inclusion criteria. Four intervention types were reported: collaborative care, self-management, telephone-based and antidepressant treatment. Most (14 of 19) interventions were implemented at the organisational level and were potentially cost-effective, particularly, the collaborative care for people with depressive disorder and diabetes, comorbid major depression and cancer and depression and multiple long-term conditions. Cost-effectiveness ranged from £206 per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) for collaborative care programmes for older adults with diabetes and depression at primary care clinics (USA) to £79 723 per QALY for combining collaborative care with improved opportunistic screening for adults with depressive disorder and diabetes (England). Conclusions on cost-effectiveness were constrained by methodological aspects of the included studies: choice of perspectives, time horizon and costing methods. CONCLUSIONS: Economic evaluations of interventions to manage multimorbidity with a depressive disorder are non-existent in low-income and middle-income countries. The design and reporting of future economic evaluations must improve to provide robust conclusions. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42022302036.

Seasonal Hyperacute Panuveitis (SHAPU) Outbreak Amidst COVID-19 Pandemic.

PURPOSE: To document the demographic profile of the SHAPU outbreak amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: A multicentric cross-sectional study of the 2021 SHAPU outbreak during the second phase of the COVID-19 outbreak. RESULTS: A total of 135 patients were diagnosed with SHAPU from August to December 2021, 77 (57%) were children <16 years, males 54.8% and 34.8% had direct physical contact with white moths and 41.5% had severe type of SHAPU. Dramatic increment in the moth abundance was noted in these outbreak sites. Few cases presented with atypical ocular findings, unlike past outbreaks. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic with restrictions on travel and transportation, timely management was difficult and good visual outcome was achieved only in mild-moderate cases with an early presentation. CONCLUSION: The surge in the number of SHAPU patients, its occurrence in areas previously unreported, and some atypical presentation added raised suspicion of a possible link between COVID-19 and SHAPU.

Increase in SHAPU patients, incidence in unreported areas of Nepal, atypical ocular presentations and shift in disease affection from children towards adults population have raised doubt between connections between SHAPU, white moths and COVID pandemic.

Determinants of Physical Activity and Dietary Habits among Adults in Ghana: A Cross-Sectional Study.

A critical understanding of the interrelationship between two behavioral decisions­participating in physical activity, and eating healthily­is lacking in Ghana. This study aimed to determine which factors affect each of the two behavioral decisions, jointly and separately, among adults aged 18 years or older in three metropolises (Kumasi, Accra, and Tamale) of Ghana. The data from the Ghana Obesity Survey 2021 were used. A bivariate probit model was fitted to estimate nonlinear models that indicate an individual's joint decision to participate in physical activity and consume a healthy diet. A positive correlation (r = 0.085; p < 0.05) was found between these two decisions, indicating a relationship between these two behavioral decisions. The common correlates between these decisions were self-reported good health status, high income, and attitudes toward being overweight. Men were more likely to be physically active but less likely to eat well. Both religion and culture determined participation in physical activity, but not the consumption of a healthy diet. Marital status determined diet, but not physical activity. The new knowledge gained from this analysis around the nature and the extent of the interconnectedness between physical activity and diet is critical to devising targeted interventions for obesity prevention in Ghana.

Post-Crash First Response by Traffic Police in Nepal: A Feasibility Study.

BACKGROUND: Road traffic injuries are a significant and increasing public health burden in Nepal, but there is no national coverage of regulated and standardized emergency medical service systems. Therefore, this study was designed to develop a first responder trauma training program for the Nepal traffic police and to evaluate the feasibility of its delivery and follow up. METHODS: A training needs assessment with traffic-police officers in a single district of Nepal informed the development of a 3-day first-response course which was provided to officers in May 2019. Participants were supplied with a trauma-pack and asked to complete a report form when first-responder skills were used. Knowledge and confidence face-to-face surveys were used before and after training to assess learning, and were repeated at 6 months to assess retention of knowledge. The surveys at 6 months assessed the factors affecting application of first response skills. RESULTS: Most (97%) participants believed giving first-aid was part of their responsibilities and 95% had experience of transporting road crash victims to hospital with a range of injuries. Low levels of first-aid training and variable course content were reported. Knowledge and confidence scores improved post-intervention but were reduced at 6-months. During attendance at 303 road crashes in the 6-months follow-up period, 44% of the participants self-reported using at least one skill from the course; applying them on 92 occasions. Incident report-forms were frequently not completed. Barriers to providing treatment included: the patient already en-route to hospital when police arrived at scene; resistance to providing care from relatives or bystanders; and competing police duties (e.g., traffic management). CONCLUSIONS: Delivering a first-response training program for traffic-police in Nepal is feasible. Knowledge was retained and used, and skills were in frequent demand. A study of effectiveness and cost-effectiveness appears warranted to determine if extending the training to other districts can improve outcomes in road traffic injury patients in the absence of formal emergency medical services.

Assessment of COVID-19 Pandemic in Nepal: A Lockdown Scenario Analysis.

The Government of Nepal issued a nationwide lockdown from 24 March to 21 July 2020, prohibiting domestic and international travels, closure of the border and non-essential services. There were only two confirmed cases from 610 Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) tests and no fatalities when the government introduced nationwide lockdown. This study aimed to explore the overall scenario of COVID-19 including spatial distribution of cases; government efforts, and impact on public health, socio-economy, and education during the lockdown in Nepal. We collated and analyzed data using official figures from the Nepalese Ministry of Health and Population. Nepal had performed 7,791 RT-PCR tests for COVID-19, the highest number of tests during the lockdown. It has recorded its highest daily rise in coronavirus infections with a total of 740 new cases from the total of 4,483 RT-PCR tests performed on a single day. Nepal had reported a total of 17,994 positive cases and 40 deaths at the end of lockdown. The spatial distribution clearly shows that the cases were rapidly spreading from the southern part of the country where most points of entry and exit from India are located. To contain the spread of the virus, the government has also initiated various preventive measures and strategies during the lockdown. The Government of Nepal needs to allocate more resources, increase its capacity to test and trace, establish dedicated isolation and quarantine facility and impose local restrictions such as a local lockdown based on risk assessment rather than a nationwide lockdown.

Taenia solium in the Anterior Chamber: Surgical Management of a Rare Case of Live Free-Floating Parasite.

Ocular cysticercosis is a preventable cause of blindness. It is a parasitic infestation caused by Cysticercus cellulosae-which is the larval form of Taenia solium. In 1829, Soemmering reported the first case of a live anterior chamber cysticercosis. In the following, we report a rare case of a 13-year-old male who presented with a live adult Taenia solium in the anterior chamber without any systemic features and its successful management.

State of Post-injury First Response Systems in Nepal-A Nationwide Survey.

Injuries account for 9.2% of all deaths and 9.9% of the total disability-adjusted life years in Nepal. To date, there has not been a systematic assessment of the status of first response systems in Nepal. An online survey was cascaded through government, non-governmental organisations and academic networks to identify first response providers across Nepal. Identified organisations were invited to complete a questionnaire to explore the services, personnel, equipment, and resources in these organisations, their first aid training activities and whether the organisation evaluated their first response services and training. Of 28 organisations identified, 17 (61%) completed the questionnaire. The range of services offered varied considerably; 15 (88.2%) provided first aid training, 9 (52.9%) provided treatment at the scene and 5 (29.4%) provided full emergency medical services with assessment, treatment and transport to a health facility. Only 8 (47.1%) of providers had an ambulance, with 6 (35.3%) offering transportation without an ambulance. Of 13 first aid training providers, 7 (53.8%) evaluated skill retention and 6 (46.2%) assessed health outcomes of patients. The length of a training course varied from 1 to 16 days and costs from US$4.0 to 430.0 per participant. There was a variation among training providers in who they train, how they train, and whether they evaluate that training. No standardisation existed for either first aid training or provision of care at the scene of an injury. This survey suggests that coordination and leadership will be required to develop an effective first response system across the country.

Economic Burden of Road Traffic Injuries in Nepal.

The evidence of the economic burden of road traffic injuries (RTIs) in Nepal is limited. The most recent study, conducted in 2008, is now considered outdated because there has been a rapid increase in vehicle numbers and extensive road building over the last decade. This study estimated the current economic costs of RTIs in Nepal, including the direct costs, productivity costs, and valuation of pain, grief, and suffering. An incidence-based cost-of-illness analysis was conducted from a societal perspective, employing a bottom-up approach using secondary data. All costs incurred by the patients, their family members, and costs to society were estimated, with sensitivity analyses to consider uncertainty around the data estimates available. Productivity loss was valued using the human capital approach. The total costs of RTIs in 2017 were estimated at USD 122.88 million. Of these, the costs of productivity loss were USD 91.57 million (74.52%) and the pain, grief, and suffering costs were USD 18.31 million (14.90%). The direct non-medical costs were USD 11.50 million (9.36%) whereas the direct medical costs were USD 1.50 million (1.22%). The economic costs of RTIs increased by threefold since 2007 and are equivalent to 1.52% of the gross national product, indicating the growing national financial burden associated with preventable RTIs.

Multidisciplinary approach to COVID-19 risk communication: a framework and tool for individual and regional risk assessment.

The COVID-19 pandemic has exceeded over sixty-five million cases globally. Different approaches are followed to mitigate its impact and reduce its spreading in different countries, but limiting mobility and exposure have been de-facto precautions to reduce transmission. However, a full lockdown cannot be sustained for a prolonged period. An evidence-based, multidisciplinary approach on risk zoning, personal and transmission risk assessment in near real-time, and risk communication would support the optimized decisions to minimize the impact of coronavirus on our lives. This paper presents a framework to assess the individual and regional risk of COVID-19 along with risk communication tools and mechanisms. Relative risk scores on a scale of 100 represent the integrated risk of influential factors. The personal risk model incorporates age, exposure history, symptoms, local risk and existing health condition, whereas regional risk is computed through the actual cases of COVID-19, public health risk factors, socioeconomic condition of the region, and immigration statistics. A web application tool ( http://www.covira.info ) has been developed, where anyone can assess their risk and find the guided information links primarily for Nepal. This study provides regional risk for Nepal, but the framework is scalable across the world. However, personal risk can be assessed immediately from anywhere.

Cost-effectiveness of interventions to prevent road traffic injuries in low- and middle-income countries: A literature review.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to identify, critically appraise, summarize, and synthesize evidence from cost-effectiveness analyses (CEAs) of interventions aimed at preventing road traffic injuries (RTIs) in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) by age group and road users targeted. METHODS: A search strategy was applied to 12 electronic databases for studies published between May 2002 and August 2015 that met prespecified inclusion criteria. Additional studies were identified by contacting authors and searching bibliographies. Included studies were critically appraised against published criteria and a narrative synthesis was conducted including a use of the strength of evidence criteria. RESULTS: Five studies were included in the final review that reported 9 interventions. Only 2 out of 9 interventions (drink-drive legislation with enforcement via breath testing campaign and combined interventions for reducing RTIs) showed moderate evidence of being cost-effective, whereas the evidence of cost-effectiveness of other interventions was weak. Only 2 interventions (bicycle and motorcycle helmet use legislation and enforcement) were explicitly targeted to children, young people and vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and cyclists. The cost-effectiveness of interventions to prevent RTIs in LMICs ranged from US$4.14 per disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) averted for building speed bumps at the most dangerous junctions that caused 10% of junction deaths in the area studied to US$3,403 per DALYs averted for legislation and enforcement of helmet use by motorcyclists in the World Health Organization (WHO) sub-Saharan Africa region. CONCLUSIONS: Evidence of cost-effectiveness of interventions to prevent RTIs in LMICs is limited, particularly for children, young people, and vulnerable road users. Evaluation of the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a larger number of possible road safety interventions in a variety of LMIC settings is warranted to generate the evidence base for effective traffic injury prevention programs.

The epidemiology of hospitalization for pneumonia in children under five in the rural western region of Nepal: a descriptive study.

Pneumonia is one of the major public health problems in children under five years of age. The aim of this study was to analyze the time, place, and characteristics of the distribution of pneumonia in hospitalized children under five years of age at the Dhaulagiri Zonal Hospital (DZH) in Nepal. A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out at DZH from July 16, 2008 to August 17, 2011 for hospitalized children under five years of age and diagnosed with pneumonia. The main bacterial cause of pneumonia was Streptococcus pneumoniae and the main viral cause was Respiratory Syntical Virus (RSV). The majority of children admitted for treatment of pneumonia were males (60%), from upper class ethnic groups, and common among those aged 29 days to one year (49.1% of overall pneumonia cases). Data from this study show that pneumonia episodes in DZH occurred throughout the year with a sharp increase in the occurrence at the end of August to September. More cases were recorded during the rainy seasons and winter months in all three study years. The cases were from households most concentrated in Baglung municipality where the hospital is located. Pneumonia was found in higher proportions among hospitalized male children, those aged 29 days to one year, and in upper ethnic groups, during the rainy seasons and in winter months, and among local populations near the hospital in the rural western region of Nepal. Strengthening community-based case management, prevention strategies, and health care delivery system would help reduce pneumonia cases and the overall burden associated with it.