title: Epidemiology of road traffic incidents in Peru 1973-2008: incidence, mortality, and fatality.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The epidemiological profile and trends of road traffic injuries (RTIs) in Peru have not been well-defined, though this is a necessary step to address this significant public health problem in Peru. The objective of this study was to determine trends of incidence, mortality, and fatality of RTIs in Peru during 1973-2008, as well as their relationship to population trends such as economic growth.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Secondary aggregated databases were used to estimate incidence, mortality and fatality rate ratios (IRRs) of RTIs. These estimates were standardized to age groups and sex of the 2008 Peruvian population. Negative binomial regression and cubic spline curves were used for multivariable analysis. During the 35-year period there were 952,668 road traffic victims, injured or killed. The adjusted yearly incidence of RTIs increased by 3.59 (95% CI 2.43-5.31) on average. We did not observe any significant trends in the yearly mortality rate. The total adjusted yearly fatality rate decreased by 0.26 (95% CI 0.15-0.43), while among adults the fatality rate increased by 1.25 (95% CI 1.09-1.43). Models fitted with splines suggest that the incidence follows a bimodal curve and closely followed trends in the gross domestic product (GDP) per capita.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The significant increasing incidence of RTIs in Peru affirms their growing threat to public health. A substantial improvement of information systems for RTIs is needed to create a more accurate epidemiologic profile of RTIs in Peru. This approach can be of use in other similar low and middle-income settings to inform about the local challenges posed by RTIs.
authors.affiliation: Programa de Investigación en Accidentes de Tránsito, Salud Sin Límites Perú, Lima, Peru; CRONICAS, Center of Excellence in Chronic Diseases, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru; School of Medicine, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru; EDHUCASALUD, Asociación Civil para la Educación en Derechos Humanos con Aplicación en Salud, Lima, Peru.
authors.forename: J Jaime
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Miranda
authors.affiliation: Programa de Investigación en Accidentes de Tránsito, Salud Sin Límites Perú, Lima, Peru; Programa Nacional de Empleo Juvenil Jóvenes a la Obra, Ministerio del Trabajo y Promoción del Empleo, Lima, Peru.
authors.forename: Luis A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: López-Rivera
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America; Harborview Injury Prevention & Research Center, University of Washington. Seattle, Washington, United States of America.
authors.forename: D Alex
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Quistberg
authors.affiliation: Programa de Investigación en Accidentes de Tránsito, Salud Sin Límites Perú, Lima, Peru; CRONICAS, Center of Excellence in Chronic Diseases, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru; Centro de Trastornos Respiratorios del Sueño (CENTRES), Clínica Anglo Americana, Lima, Peru; Grupo de Investigación en Sueño (GIS), Lima, Peru; Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Edmundo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rosales-Mayor
authors.affiliation: Programa de Investigación en Accidentes de Tránsito, Salud Sin Límites Perú, Lima, Peru; EDHUCASALUD, Asociación Civil para la Educación en Derechos Humanos con Aplicación en Salud, Lima, Peru.
authors.forename: Camila
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gianella
authors.affiliation: Programa de Investigación en Accidentes de Tránsito, Salud Sin Límites Perú, Lima, Peru.
authors.forename: Ada
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Paca-Palao
authors.affiliation: Programa de Investigación en Accidentes de Tránsito, Salud Sin Límites Perú, Lima, Peru; Departamento de Ciencias Sociales y Políticas, Universidad del Pacífico, Lima, Peru; Asociación Civil "Gobierno Coherente", Lima, Peru.
authors.forename: Diego
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Luna
authors.affiliation: Programa de Investigación en Accidentes de Tránsito, Salud Sin Límites Perú, Lima, Peru; CRONICAS, Center of Excellence in Chronic Diseases, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru; School of Medicine, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima, Peru; Department of Pediatrics, Instituto Nacional de Salud del Niño, Lima, Peru; School of Medicine, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima, Peru.
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Huicho
authors.forename: Ada
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Paca
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000401:mortality* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends*; D016208:Databases, Factual; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007256:Information Systems; D008297:Male; D010568:Peru / Q000453:epidemiology; D011634:Public Health; D012307:Risk Factors; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology*