JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Initiated in 2021, a Brazilian project aims to establish a national injury registry, compiling comprehensive data on events and individuals across the country, irrespective of injury severity. The registry integrates information from pre-hospital and hospital care, diverse health systems lacking interoperability, and sectors like firefighters and police. Its primary goal is to enhance health surveillance by providing timely, high-quality information, guiding prevention strategies, and informing policymaking. The project still aims to reduce long-term morbidity and mortality associated with injuries.

Objective:

A knowledge gap remains regarding the effects of injury registries, unlike trauma registries, in relation to policies and injury outcomes. This protocol outlines a systematic review and meta-analysis to answer: “What is the effect of implementing an injury registry on policymaking, hospitalization rates, and mortality?”

Methods:

The systematic review follows PRISMA guidelines, focusing on articles reporting results related to the implementation and use of injury registries, including trauma registries. Outcomes of interest include policymaking, hospitalization rates, and mortality. Registries within well-defined administrative boundaries will be included. Data will be collected from PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, Lilacs, and references. Two reviewers will independently screen records, resolving disagreements through arbitration by a third reviewer. Homogeneous studies, with three or more evaluating the same outcome, may undergo meta-analysis. Subgroup analyses by registry type, injury groups, and/or other selected variables of interest will be conducted. Sensitivity analysis, risk of bias assessment, publication bias evaluation, and quality appraisal will also be performed.

Results:

This systematic review will run from November 2023 to February 2024. No identical review was found. Search strategies were finalized, the bibliographic search started, duplicates were eliminated, and title/abstract screening began. Of 8,835 studies retrieved, 3,785 were excluded due to duplication, leaving 5,050 for selection.

Conclusions:

This study is timely, aligning with ongoing national efforts to implement an injury registry. The goal is to provide the best evidence, ensuring a rigorous systematic review to guide Brazilian policymakers' decisions.