Socioeconomic and Health Effects of Road Traffic Injuries

Running head: EPIDEMIOLOGY
Epidemiology
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1EPIDEMIOLOGY
1. Socioeconomic and health effects of road traffic injuries:
The magnitude and the rate at which road traffic injuries are occurring worldwide is one
major health and developmental problems. Review of recent data from the World Health
Organization (2018) shows that 1.35 million people die every year from road traffic crashes
and this cost affected countries about 3% of their gross domestic product. As road traffic
injuries lead to large numbers of disability, high rate of hospitalization and loss of
productivity, it has adverse impact on socioeconomics of a country and health of the
population too. The socioeconomic effect of road traffic injuries is understood from the fact
that people living in poverty are at more risk of such injuries and when earning member of a
family is lost due to road traffic injuries, it has immediate economic effects on the family too.
Apart from loss in earnings, it has additional effect on the family too because of medical bills,
hospitalization cost and legal bills. Adverse health effect is understood from the fact that may
have to suffer from long term health concerns and psychological issues too because of the
injury. Apart from road crash survivors, it leads to psychological effect for immediate
families and caregivers too. Hence, household income and food production is significantly
reduced after a road accident. In case of any disability, road injuries lead to unemployment
and loss of productivity. This ultimately influences the economic prosperity and productivity
of a region (Sehat et al., 2012). Therefore, it can be regarded as a serious problem with wide
health and economic implications.
Two examples of road traffic injuries area include crash between semi trailer truck
and bus and cycling related crashes.
2. Epidemiological data on Road Traffic Injuries and Diseases:
Several studies have also collected data on road traffic injuries and diseases. The research
study by Beck et al. (2017) investigated about trends in the incidence, mortality, health loss