Beyond Trauma Survival: Secondary Prevention, Early Rehabilitation, and Integrated Primary Care for Long-Term Recovery Following Road Traffic Injuries

Road traffic injuries represent a major global public health challenge, generating substantial clinical, functional, psychological, and socioeconomic consequences that frequently persist beyond the acute phase of trauma management. This narrative review aimed to analyze the relationship between secondary prevention, early rehabilitation, and continuity of care in road traffic injury survivors, emphasizing the integration of traumatology, family medicine, rehabilitation services, and public health. A descriptive, analytical, and comparative approach was adopted to examine 20 selected scientific publications addressing post-traumatic complications, rehabilitation interventions, functional recovery, healthcare transitions, and long-term outcomes, incorporating international evidence and research from Mexico, Brazil, and Colombia. The findings revealed considerable heterogeneity in post-traumatic recovery, including persistent physical disability, psychological deterioration, occupational limitations, and prolonged healthcare needs. Randomized clinical trials examining early rehabilitation did not consistently demonstrate statistically significant advantages of more intensive interventions, highlighting the importance of individualized therapeutic planning. Conversely, structured post-discharge programs were associated with improved outpatient attendance and healthcare engagement, although their direct effects on long-term functional outcomes remain insufficiently established. Longitudinal studies identified distinct physical and mental health recovery trajectories, demonstrating that anatomical healing does not necessarily correspond to complete functional or psychosocial restoration. Latin American evidence additionally highlighted disability-related economic burdens, organizational challenges, and inequalities in healthcare accessibility. Overall, the reviewed literature supports the relevance of coordinated post-traumatic management incorporating secondary prevention, individualized rehabilitation, and longitudinal primary healthcare follow-up. Nevertheless, further prospective and multicenter investigations are required to determine the effectiveness of integrated care models in reducing persistent disability and improving functional independence across different healthcare settings.