Injury mortality in South Africa: a 2009 and 2017 comparison to track progress to meeting sustainable development goal targets

Background Injuries, often preventable, prompted urgent action within the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to improve global health. South Africa (SA) has high rates of injury mortality, but accurate reporting of official national data is hindered by death misclas...

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Main Authors: Megan Prinsloo, Shibe Mhlongo, Rifqah A. Roomaney, Lea Marineau, Thakadu A. Mamashela, Bianca Dekel, Debbie Bradshaw, Lorna J. Martin, Carl Lombard, Rachel Jewkes, Naeemah Abrahams, Richard Matzopoulos
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2024-12-01
Series:Global Health Action
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Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/16549716.2024.2377828
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author Megan Prinsloo
Shibe Mhlongo
Rifqah A. Roomaney
Lea Marineau
Thakadu A. Mamashela
Bianca Dekel
Debbie Bradshaw
Lorna J. Martin
Carl Lombard
Rachel Jewkes
Naeemah Abrahams
Richard Matzopoulos
author_facet Megan Prinsloo
Shibe Mhlongo
Rifqah A. Roomaney
Lea Marineau
Thakadu A. Mamashela
Bianca Dekel
Debbie Bradshaw
Lorna J. Martin
Carl Lombard
Rachel Jewkes
Naeemah Abrahams
Richard Matzopoulos
author_sort Megan Prinsloo
collection DOAJ
description Background Injuries, often preventable, prompted urgent action within the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to improve global health. South Africa (SA) has high rates of injury mortality, but accurate reporting of official national data is hindered by death misclassification. Objective Two nationally representative surveys for 2009 and 2017 are utilised to assess SA’s progress towards SDG targets for violence and road traffic injuries, alongside changes in suicide and under-5 mortality rates for childhood injuries, and compare these estimates with those of the Global Burden of Disease for SA. Methods The surveys utilised multi-stage, stratified cluster sampling from eight provinces, with mortuaries as primary sampling units. Post-mortem files for non-natural deaths were reviewed, with additional data from the Western Cape. Age-standardised rates, 95% confidence intervals (CIs), and incidence rate ratios (IRRs) were calculated for manner of death rate comparisons and for age groups. Results The all-injury age-standardised mortality rate decreased significantly between 2009 and 2017. Homicide and transport remained the leading causes of injury deaths, with a significant 31% decrease in road traffic mortality (IRR = 0.69), from 36.1 to 25.0 per 100 000 population. Conclusions Despite a reduction in SA’s road traffic mortality rate, challenges to achieve targets related to young and novice drivers and male homicide persist. Achieving SA’s injury mortality SDG targets requires comprehensive evaluations of programmes addressing road safety, violence reduction, and mental well-being. In the absence of reliable routine data, survey data allow to accurately assess the country’s SDG progress through commitment to evidence-based policymaking.
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spelling doaj-art-de404e9594e64e51a429bd699be0cf7d2025-02-05T12:46:14ZengTaylor & Francis GroupGlobal Health Action1654-98802024-12-0117110.1080/16549716.2024.23778282377828Injury mortality in South Africa: a 2009 and 2017 comparison to track progress to meeting sustainable development goal targetsMegan Prinsloo0Shibe Mhlongo1Rifqah A. Roomaney2Lea Marineau3Thakadu A. Mamashela4Bianca Dekel5Debbie Bradshaw6Lorna J. Martin7Carl Lombard8Rachel Jewkes9Naeemah Abrahams10Richard Matzopoulos11South African Medical Research CouncilSouth African Medical Research CouncilSouth African Medical Research CouncilJohns Hopkins UniversityUniversity of LimpopoSouth African Medical Research CouncilSouth African Medical Research CouncilUniversity of Cape TownSouth African Medical Research CouncilSouth African Medical Research CouncilSouth African Medical Research CouncilSouth African Medical Research CouncilBackground Injuries, often preventable, prompted urgent action within the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to improve global health. South Africa (SA) has high rates of injury mortality, but accurate reporting of official national data is hindered by death misclassification. Objective Two nationally representative surveys for 2009 and 2017 are utilised to assess SA’s progress towards SDG targets for violence and road traffic injuries, alongside changes in suicide and under-5 mortality rates for childhood injuries, and compare these estimates with those of the Global Burden of Disease for SA. Methods The surveys utilised multi-stage, stratified cluster sampling from eight provinces, with mortuaries as primary sampling units. Post-mortem files for non-natural deaths were reviewed, with additional data from the Western Cape. Age-standardised rates, 95% confidence intervals (CIs), and incidence rate ratios (IRRs) were calculated for manner of death rate comparisons and for age groups. Results The all-injury age-standardised mortality rate decreased significantly between 2009 and 2017. Homicide and transport remained the leading causes of injury deaths, with a significant 31% decrease in road traffic mortality (IRR = 0.69), from 36.1 to 25.0 per 100 000 population. Conclusions Despite a reduction in SA’s road traffic mortality rate, challenges to achieve targets related to young and novice drivers and male homicide persist. Achieving SA’s injury mortality SDG targets requires comprehensive evaluations of programmes addressing road safety, violence reduction, and mental well-being. In the absence of reliable routine data, survey data allow to accurately assess the country’s SDG progress through commitment to evidence-based policymaking.http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/16549716.2024.2377828injuriesviolencehomicideroad trafficsuicideunintentionalsustainable development goals
spellingShingle Megan Prinsloo
Shibe Mhlongo
Rifqah A. Roomaney
Lea Marineau
Thakadu A. Mamashela
Bianca Dekel
Debbie Bradshaw
Lorna J. Martin
Carl Lombard
Rachel Jewkes
Naeemah Abrahams
Richard Matzopoulos
Injury mortality in South Africa: a 2009 and 2017 comparison to track progress to meeting sustainable development goal targets
Global Health Action
injuries
violence
homicide
road traffic
suicide
unintentional
sustainable development goals
title Injury mortality in South Africa: a 2009 and 2017 comparison to track progress to meeting sustainable development goal targets
title_full Injury mortality in South Africa: a 2009 and 2017 comparison to track progress to meeting sustainable development goal targets
title_fullStr Injury mortality in South Africa: a 2009 and 2017 comparison to track progress to meeting sustainable development goal targets
title_full_unstemmed Injury mortality in South Africa: a 2009 and 2017 comparison to track progress to meeting sustainable development goal targets
title_short Injury mortality in South Africa: a 2009 and 2017 comparison to track progress to meeting sustainable development goal targets
title_sort injury mortality in south africa a 2009 and 2017 comparison to track progress to meeting sustainable development goal targets
topic injuries
violence
homicide
road traffic
suicide
unintentional
sustainable development goals
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/16549716.2024.2377828
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