Factors Associated With Mortality In Patients Treated For Traumatic Brain Injury At Laquintinie Hospital Douala

Background: Updating knowledge on the management of patients treated for traumatic brain injury is essential to reduce mortality rates from traumatic brain injuries worldwide. In Cameroon, contextualising this knowledge is crucial for improving patient care. This study aimed to identify factors associated with mortality among patients treated for traumatic brain injury at Laquintinie Hospital in Douala. Methodology: We conducted a prospective study in the neurosurgery department of Laquintinie Hospital in Douala over a 6-year period (2017-2023), following a cohort of 8,902 patients. Sociodemographic information, mechanism, context and severity of the injury, as well as patient outcomes (deceased or not), were collected using a structured questionnaire. Univariate and multivariate logistic regressions were performed to determine factors associated with mortality. Results: Factors associated with mortality included male gender (aOR = 0.69, p = 0.01), education levels of primary school (aOR = 1.72, p = 0.01), secondary-high school (aOR = 1.73, p = 0.006), and no formal education (aOR = 3.39, p < 0.001), cooking with charcoal (aOR = 2.14, p < 0.001) and liquefied petroleum gas (aOR = 1.65, p = 0.04), trauma site (p = 0.03), alcohol consumption (aOR = 0.46, p < 0.001), mechanism of injury (p < 0.001), moderate traumatic brain injury (aOR = 7.51, p < 0.001), mild traumatic brain injury (aOR = 41, p < 0.001), and lack of financial resources for treatment (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Despite global efforts to reduce mortality from traumatic brain injury, inaccessibility of healthcare, socioeconomic inequialities, and environmental issues continue to pose major challenges. Survival is significantly affected by lower levels of education, financial difficulties, and causes of injury. Bridging these loopholes by improving emergency care, financial assistance, and public education is ket to enhancing TBI outcomes in Cameroon.