Pre-Hospital Management of Head Injury Patients in Saudi Arabia: Factors to Consider

Background

Globally, traumatic head injury (TBI) is a serious health issue. According to Andriessen et al. (2011), the condition affects more than 10 million people and can lead to hospitalization or death (p. 341). According to studies, road accidents are one of the primary causes of brain damage at the pre-hospital level (Maas et al., 2008). Medical professionals have developed cutting-edge prevention and treatment models for related brain complications, but mortality rates are still high (Hyder, Wunderlich, Puvanachandra, Gururaj, & Kobusingye, 2007). According to statistical analysis of the condition, falls account for 20–30% of TBIs, while 60% are caused by motor vehicle accidents (Hyder et al., 2007, p. 341). Additionally, 10% of cases involve workplace sports-related incidents and activities, while another 10% are related to violence (Hyder et al., 2007, p. 341). Even though significant TBIs happen in situations where they cannot be avoided, it is important to seek clinical evaluations and interventions to control rising mortality rates.

Research Review

The most frequent causes of traumatic brain injuries (TBI) in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are car accidents and injuries to pedestrians (Al-Habib et al., 2013, p. 353). Traumatic head injuries (THI), according to a study by Al-Habib et al. (2013), are more common in men than in women. The authors acknowledge that the difference could be due to Saudi Arabian law prohibiting women from operating motor vehicles (p. 353). The authors also state that motor vehicle collisions caused 29.2% of mortality rates, while pedestrians accounted for 40% of mortality rates (p. 353). The data from the retrospective study by Al-Habib et al. (2013) show that health issue requires an integrated strategy, including administrative and clinical preventive approaches. Al-Habib et al. (2013) assert that restraint is necessary to prevent…