dc.contributor.author | Kiama, Wangai | |
dc.date.accessioned | 2013-05-24T09:50:23Z | |
dc.date.available | 2013-05-24T09:50:23Z | |
dc.date.issued | 2008 | |
dc.identifier.citation | Master of Medicine in Pathology, University of Nairobi, 2008 | en |
dc.identifier.uri | http://erepository.uonbi.ac.ke:8080/xmlui/handle/11295/25348 | |
dc.description.abstract | Introduction
Alcohol and its effects on persons have use in both civil and criminal
litigation. In terms of civil matters alcohol has impact in the insurance
industry as relates to road traffic accidents, personal accidents claims
and also life insurance claims. Excessive alcohol has been blamed as a
cause of many deaths resulting from road traffic accidents, assault, stab
.wounds, crime and drowning (I).This has been taken to be so. This has
largely remained unverified by scientific research in Kenya.
The purpose of the study is to determine the incidence of alcohol related
deaths in road traffic accidents by measuring alcohol levels in vitreous
humor. Clinical studies have been conducted in this area but there has
not been a forensic pathology study in this area.
Hypothesis
Most deaths of road users in Nairobi are alcohol related.
Study Objects
The study objectives were broadly to determine alcohol related deaths
amongst drivers, passengers, pedestrians and cyclists between January
2007 and March 2007, specifically to determine the presence and levels
of exogenous alcohol levels in vitreous humors of dead bodies from road
traffic accidents; to determine the presence of microorganism in vitreous
humor as a marker of presence of endogenous alcohol and so as a
quality control and to establish the prevalence of alcohol related deaths
in road traffic accidents.
Study Design
A descriptive cross sectional study
Study setting
The study was conducted at the City Mortuary in Nairobi. It is the
biggest mortuary in Nairobi and receives most of the deceased persons
involved in road traffic accidents in Nairobi and its environs.
Methodology
The study subjects consisted of dead bodies of those who died due to
road traffic accidents in Nairobi and were selected consecutively.
The study involved collection of vitreous humor from the deceased
persons.
The sample for alcohol estimation was put into a fluoride bottle
which was tightly closed and sealed with cellotape and transported in a
cooler box and stored at -4 degrees Celsius until time of analysis.
The samples for microbiology were inoculated immediately at the site of
collection into Robertson's cooked media, sobourrounds dextrose agar
media and blood agar.
Results
The study established that out of the 101 subjects 21 had presence of
alcohol in the vitreous humor. Of the 21 subjects 6 had microorganisms
grown from their vitreous humor and were excluded from further
analysis. Exogenous alcohol was therefore established in 15 subjects
which was 15.8%.
The class of persons involved were distributed as passengers
who were 7 out of a total of 36 (46.7%), cyclists who were 3 out of a total
of 24 (20%),pedestrians who were 3 out of a total of 24 (20%) and drivers
2 drivers out of a total of 17 (13.3%).Amongst the males sampled 22.9%
had exogenous alcohol while amongst the females those that had
exogenous alcohol were 16.1%.
Conclusion
The prevalence of exogenous alcohol in bodies from road traffic
accidents was 15.8% this would form a basis for social interventions.
Passengers contributed a larger percentage of the class of persons
involved. The total percentage of death from road traffic accidents was
40% for pedestrians and cyclists.
Recommendations
There is need to structure roads to provide space for pedestrian and
cyclists to reduce contact with motor vehicles. Drivers and passengers
composed 60% of those found to have exogenous alcohol it is therefore
recommended that there be policies on alcohol intake and driving which
would set the legally acceptable drink and drive levels. | en |
dc.language.iso | en | en |
dc.publisher | University of Nairobi. | en |
dc.title | Alcohol Related Deaths Amongst Drivers, Passengers, Pedestrians Andcyclists In Nairobi | en |
dc.type | Thesis | en |
dc.description.department | a
Department of Psychiatry, University of Nairobi, ; bDepartment of Mental Health, School of Medicine,
Moi University, Eldoret, Kenya | |
local.publisher | Faculty of Medicine | en |