Relationships between trauma death, disability, and geographic factors: a systematic review

초록

Objective Trauma is a global health problem. The causes of trauma-related deaths are diverse and may depend in part on socioeconomic and geographical factors; however, there have been few studies addressing such relationships. The aim of this study was to investigate the relation-ships between trauma and geographical factors in order to support policy recommendations to reduce trauma-related deaths and disability.Methods In accordance with the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines, we searched international and Korean databases to retrieve relevant literature published between 2000 and 2020.Results Thirty-two studies showed a positive relationship between the outcomes of major trau-ma and geographical factors. The study investigated regional factors including economic factors such as size of urban areas, gross domestic product, and poverty rate, as well as hospital param-eters, such as presence of trauma centers and number of hospital beds. There was a tendency toward higher mortality rates in rural and low-income areas, and most of the studies reported that the presence of trauma centers reduced trauma-related mortality rates.Conclusion Our study showed that geographic factors influence trauma outcomes. The findings suggest geographical considerations be included in care plans to reduce death and disability caused by trauma.

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