Community-based study of road traffic accident among Almajirai in Zaria

Jerry Godfrey Makama, Tukur Dahiru, Alaji A Aliyu

African Journal of Trauma 2016 5(2):48-53

Background: Trauma is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among people of age <45 years. Almajiri is a boy of age 5–15 years that has left his parents to a distanced place in search of Islamic knowledge. They are often left on their own to cater for themselves, roaming on roads and streets from one place to another searching for alms and food. Therefore, we aim to assess the characteristics of road traffic injury among the Almajirai in Zaria. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional, descriptive study, conducted in Zaria metropolis from June to December 2012. A multistage sampling technique was used to sample clusters of Almajirai. A structured interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to obtain the data. The information obtained from the respondents included the biodata, basic understanding of the use of roads, application of traffic rules and regulations, involvement in road traffic crash (RTC), the frequency and severity of RTC, where the Almajiri was managed and the outcome of each episode. The analysis was done using SPSS version 20 for the purpose of generating frequency tables, pie and bar charts including mean and Chi-square where applicable. Results: A total of 417 Almajirai participated in the study. Of this number, three hundred and sixteen (75.8%) admitted being involved in at least one form of RTC while 101 (24.2%) were not. Most accidents (23.5%) occurred in their neighborhoods and during rush hours (25%). Only 1%–2% had basic knowledge of road signs and proper use of busy roads. The majority (41.5%) were involved as pedestrian with injury, commonly, affecting the lower extremity. Conclusion: RTC was a significant cause of injury among the Almajirai in Zaria. The most common injury was trauma to the lower extremity. Special attention needs to be paid to this group of children in our society by all road users.

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