JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Childhood injuries significantly contribute to avoidable morbidity, disability, and mortality in Ethiopia, making them a significant but understudied public health issue. Despite their significance, evidence on injury patterns, determinants, and regional disparities remains fragmented across studies and settings.

Objective:

The primary question driving this review is To map the extent and nature of research on childhood injury burden, patterns, and determinants in Ethiopia and identify key evidence gaps. To support this overarching inquiry, the following sub-questions were developed: 1.To describe the burden, mechanisms, patterns, and severity of childhood injuries reported in Ethiopian studies. 2.To summarize contextual and demographic determinants associated with childhood injuries in Ethiopia.

Methods:

To systematically map the scope, type, and causes of child injuries in Ethiopia, this scoping review adhered to PRISMA-ScR guidelines and the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology. Comprehensive searches of peer‑reviewed and grey‑literature sources published between 2010 and 2025 identified studies reporting injury mechanisms, epidemiological patterns, and contributing factors among children aged 0–17 years. Data were charted using a standardized extraction tool and synthesized descriptively and thematically.

Results:

A total of 34 studies met the inclusion criteria, representing over 25,000 pediatric injury cases nationwide. Burns, falls, and RTIs made up 70–85% of all injuries to children. Scalds disproportionately affected young children, comprising 45–70% of pediatric burn admissions, while falls caused up to 60% of orthopedic admissions. Adolescents experienced the highest burden of RTIs, traumatic brain injury, and other high‑energy trauma, with RTIs contributing up to one‑third of adolescent injury admissions. Males represented 60–80% of cases across mechanisms. Treatment burden clustered in Amhara, Tigray, Oromia, Addis Ababa, and SNNP/Sidama, while Afar, Somali, Benishangul‑Gumuz, Harari, and Gambella remained critically understudied. Identified determinants included unsafe physical environments, limited caregiver supervision, rural residence, delayed care-seeking, and reliance on traditional bone-setting practices, often resulting in complications and prolonged disability.

Conclusions:

This study found that childhood injuries in Ethiopia impose a significant and preventable burden, necessitating immediate, coordinated interventions across health systems and communities. To reduce the national burden, strengthened surveillance, multisectoral prevention strategies, improved prehospital care, safer household and road environments, and traditional practice regulation are urgently required.