Adolescent and Young Adult Injuries in Developing Economies: A Comparative Analysis from Oman and Kenya

Abdulgafoor M. Bachani; Niloufer Taber; Amber Mehmood; Yuen Wai Hung; Isaac Botchey; Ammar Al-Kashmiri; Adnan A. Hyder

doi:10.1016/j.aogh.2017.10.030

Annals of Global Health (Nov 2017)

Adolescent and Young Adult Injuries in Developing Economies: A Comparative Analysis from Oman and Kenya

Abdulgafoor M. Bachani,
Niloufer Taber,
Amber Mehmood,
Yuen Wai Hung,
Isaac Botchey,
Ammar Al-Kashmiri,
Adnan A. Hyder

Affiliations

Abdulgafoor M. Bachani: Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit, Health Systems Program, Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
Niloufer Taber: Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit, Health Systems Program, Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
Amber Mehmood: Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit, Health Systems Program, Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
Yuen Wai Hung: Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit, Health Systems Program, Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
Isaac Botchey: Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit, Health Systems Program, Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD
Ammar Al-Kashmiri: Ministry of Health, Sultanate of Oman, Muscat, Oman
Adnan A. Hyder: Johns Hopkins International Injury Research Unit, Health Systems Program, Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aogh.2017.10.030
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 83, no. 5-6
pp. 791 – 802

Abstract

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Background: Adolescence is a distinct period of rapid and dramatic biological, cognitive, psychological, and social development. The burden of injuries among young people (aged 10-24) is both substantial and maldistributed across regions and levels of economic development. Objectives: Our objective was to compare sociodemographic correlates of injury cause, intentionality, and mortality between Kenya and Oman, 2 countries with different levels of economic development and position in the demographic and epidemiologic transitions. Methods: Data on 566 patients in Oman and 5859 in Kenya between 10 and 24 years old were extracted from 2 separate multicenter trauma registries. Multivariable log binomial and Poisson regressions were used to evaluate social and demographic factors associated with injury cause, intentionality, and mortality. Literature on adolescent development was used to parameterize variables, and Akaike information criteria were used in the final model selections. Findings: The trauma registry data indicated a substantial burden of adolescent and young adult injury in both Oman and Kenya, particularly among males. The data indicated significant differences between countries ('P' interpersonal violence also resulting in severe injury across contexts. Both road traffic injuries and interpersonal violence were more common among older adolescents and young adults. Education and being in school were protective against injury, after controlling for gender, age category, occupation, and country. ConclusionsA rising burden of injuries among young people has been documented in every region of the world, irrespective on income status or level of development. Cost-effective injury control measures targeting this age group exist, including involvement in educational, vocational, and other prosocial activities; environmental alterations; and road safety measures.

Published in Annals of Global Health

ISSN: 2214-9996 (Online)
Publisher: Ubiquity Press
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Medicine: Internal medicine: Infectious and parasitic diseases; Medicine: Public aspects of medicine
Website: https://www.annalsofglobalhealth.org/

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