Examining the burden of unintentional injuries in Ghana: A systematic review and meta-analysis

In Ghana, there is a lack of comprehensive and empirical data on injuries. In the absence of robust national datasets, systematic reviews serve as a critical tool for understanding existing evidence. Our study synthesises the available literature to estimate the pooled prevalence and mortality associated with unintentional injuries in Ghana.

We searched and identified studies that reported on the burden (prevalence, mortality, economic and disabilities) of commonly reported unintentional injuries (road traffic injuries, falls, burns, drowning and poisoning) in Ghana. Studies were identified from PubMed, EMBASE, Global Health, and Scopus from 2000 to 2023.

A total of 46 studies were included in the review. The prevalence and mortality of unintentional injuries were high, with a pooled estimate of 18 % (95 % CI: 11 % - 26 %) and 15 % (9 % CI: 10 % - 21 %), respectively. Road traffic injury (RTI) was found to be a major contributor to the high prevalence and mortality. Our review found limited data on the economic burden and disabilities from unintentional injuries. Despite the lack of complete data, the cost of treating unintentional injuries appears to be significantly high. The annual cost of treating RTIs was US$6730,862.89, falls were US$1645,736.50, and burns were US$464,937.11.

Our review found a high prevalence, mortality, and likely economic burden of unintentional injuries in Ghana. Prioritising road safety could significantly reduce the burden of unintentional injuries in Ghana. Due to the limited studies on the economic burden and disability from unintentional injuries, more research is needed to drive insurance policies and rehabilitation practices.