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Abstract
Background Each year, around 50 to 60 million people suffer from traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) and a disproportionate burden of TBI-associated deaths and disability occurs in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) where research on TBI epidemiology is limited. Trauma registries are an effective tool to determine the local burden of disease, improve prevention strategies, and identify gaps in clinical care.
Objective The purpose of this study was to develop a TBI registry to collect data on all TBI cases seen at University Teaching Hospital (UTH) in Lusaka, Zambia.
Methods We conducted a literature review on TBI in Zambia and Africa, as well as a review of the literature on TBI registries in LMICs. We hosted peer-review meetings with TBI experts from Zambia, US and other LMICs to discuss the draft registry. Based on that feedback, we finalized the list of variables for inclusion in the registry.
Results We searched PubMed and Scopus for relevant literature and identified 140 articles for review from which we selected 29 for inclusion. We extracted an extensive list of 94 potential variables for the registry from the literature review and then we selected those that were appropriate for our setting and added additional variables as needed. After consultation with experts in the field, we agreed on a final list of 106 variables for the registry. Forty-four variables were considered core essential variables to be collected from every patient and 62 were considered supplemental to be collected by every 10thpatient.
Conclusions Through a collaborative approach, we designed a TBI registry that will collect patients’ demographics, mechanisms of injury, injury severity, and patient outcomes from TBI patients admitted to UTH in Zambia. We plan to conduct a 12-month trial of the TBI registry to generate vital data to define the true scale of TBIs in Zambia, understand risk factors, and vulnerable groups. These findings will build a new knowledge base on TBI burden in Zambia and contribute to the global effort to decrease death and disability due to TBI in LMICs.