SynthesisPloS one2021
Systematic media review: A novel method to assess mass-trauma epidemiology in absence of databases-A pilot-study in Rwanda.
Synthesis in PloS one, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
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Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed.
- Mass casualty training for prehospital and emergency providers in Kigali, Rwanda: a quasi-experimental pre-post educational study.African journal of emergency medicine : Revue africaine de la medecine d'urgence · 2026Article
- Dispatch in disasters - a descriptive analysis of pre-hospital surge capacity in Rwanda's Emergency medical services.African journal of emergency medicine : Revue africaine de la medecine d'urgence · 2026Article
- Comparing the Effectiveness of Bupivacaine Administration through Chest Tube and Intercostal Blockage in Patients with Rib Fractures.Advanced biomedical research · 2022Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
9 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectiveSurge capacity refers to preparedness of health systems to face sudden patient inflows, such as mass-casualty incidents (MCI). To strengthen surge capacity, it is essential to understand MCI epidemiology, which is poorly studied in low- and middle-income countries lacking trauma databases. We propose a novel approach, the "systematic media review", to analyze mass-trauma epidemiology; here piloted in Rwanda.
methodsA systematic media review of non-academic publications of MCIs in Rwanda between January 1st, 2010, and September 1st, 2020 was conducted using NexisUni, an academic database for news, business, and legal sources previously used in sociolegal research. All articles identified by the search strategy were screened using eligibility criteria. Data were extracted in a RedCap form and analyzed using descriptive statistics.
findingsOf 3187 articles identified, 247 met inclusion criteria. In total, 117 MCIs were described, of which 73 (62.4%) were road-traffic accidents, 23 (19.7%) natural hazards, 20 (17.1%) acts of violence/terrorism, and 1 (0.09%) boat collision. Of Rwanda's 30 Districts, 29 were affected by mass-trauma, with the rural Western province most frequently affected. Road-traffic accidents was the leading MCI until 2017 when natural hazards became most common. The median number of injured persons per event was 11 (IQR 5-18), and median on-site deaths was 2 (IQR 1-6); with natural hazards having the highest median deaths (6 [IQR 2-18]).
conclusionIn Rwanda, MCIs have decreased, although landslides/floods are increasing, preventing a decrease in trauma-related mortality. By training journalists in "mass-casualty reporting", the potential of the "systematic media review" could be further enhanced, as a way to collect MCI data in settings without databases.
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