Impact of Motor Vehicle Injury in Taiwan Using Potential Productive Years of Life Lost

Abstract

Motor vehicle injuries are a major harmful side effect of industralization. We examine this relationship in a rapidly industrializing country, Taiwan, using Potential Productive Years of Life Lost (PPYLL) analysis, and suggest ways that the injury toll of industrialization might be mitigated. We also compare Taiwan to the US, Hungary, Korea, and Chile. Taiwan has a higher PPYLL per 100, 000 population due to motor vehicle injury (530/100, 000) than cardiac disease, cancer, or strokes. Twenty-five years ago, more PPYLL was due to cancer, strokes, cardiac disease, and tuberculosis than to motor vehicle injuries (106/100, 000). Taiwan's PPYLL rate is much greater than three other industrializing countries-Chile, Korea, and Hungary-and twice that of the US.

Explanations for the dramatic rise in motor vehicle injury deaths in Taiwan may be high use of motorcycles, lack of motorcycle helmets, increase in alcohol use, high car density, and road and vehicle safety design problems.

Keywords

Injuries motor vehicle PPYLL Taiwan

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

1. Selya RM. Deaths Due to Accidents in Taiwan. A Possible Indicator of Development. Soc Sci and Med 1988;14d:361–7.

2. Wu S , Malison MD. Motor Vehicles Injuries in Taiwan. Asia-Pacific Journal of Public Health. 1990;4(1):72–5.

3. Chiu WT , Shih YS. Head Injury. In Lin TY , ed. Modern Chinese Surgery. Taipei: Commercial Press, Ltd. 1988:109–161.

4. WHO. New Approaches to Improve Road Safety. Report of WHO Study Group. Technical Report Series #781. World Health Org Geneva, 1989.

5. Meade MS. Potential Years of Life Lost in Countries of Southeast Asia. Soc Sci and Med 1980;14d:277–81.

6. Jacobs GD , Sayer I. Road Accidents in Developing Countries. Accid Anal & Prev 1983;15(5):337–53.

7. Havard JDJ. Mortality From Motor Vehicle Accidents in the 15-24 Year Age Group. World Health Statistics Quarterly. 1979;32(3):225–41.

8. Centers for Disease Control. Introduction to Table V. Premature Deaths, Monthly Mortality, and Monthly Physician Contacts-United States. MMWR March 12, 1982;31:9.

9. Centers for Disease Control. Premature Mortality in the United States; Public Health Issues in the Use of Years of Potential Life Lost. MMWRSupplement, Dec 19, 1986;35:2.

10.

10. Richter ED. Potential-Years-Life-Lost from Motor Vehicle Crashes in Israel: an Epidemiological Analysis. Int J of Epi 1979;10(8):383–8.

11.

11. Romeder JM , McWhinnie JR.

Potential Years of Life Lost Between ages 1 and 70: An Indicator of Premature Mortality for Health Planning.

Int J Epi 1977;6:143.

12.

12. Health Statistical Abstract, Taiwan Province, 1963. Dept of Health, Taiwan Provincial Gov, Republic of China.

13.

13. Health Statistical Abstract, Taiwan Province, 1964. Dept of Health, Taiwan Provincial Gov, Republic of China.

14.

14. Health Statistical Abstract, Taiwan Province, 1966. Dept of Health Taiwan Provincial Gov, Republic of China.

15.

15. Health Statistical Abstract, Taiwan Province, 1986. Dept of Health, Taiwan Provincial Gov, Republic of China.

16.

16. Health Statistics. General Health Statistics, Republic of China. Department of Health Executive Yuan, Taiwan Provincial Health Dept, Taipei City Health Dept, Kaohsiung City Health Dept, 1988.

17.

17. Statistical Abstract of Interior of the Republic of China. Department of Statistics, the Ministry of the Interior, 1989.

18.

18. World Health Statistics Annual. World Health Organization, Geneva, 1964.

19.

19. World Health Statistics Annual. World Health Organization, Geneva, 1989.

20.

20. Social Indicators in Taiwan area of the Republic of China.Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting, and Statistics, Executive Yuan, Republic of China, 1987.

21.

21. World Road Statistics, 1984-88. International Road Federation, Geneva, 1989.

22.

22. National Center for Health Statistics.Health, United States, 1988, DHHS Pub. No. (PHS) 89-1232. Public Health Service. Washington. US Government Printing Of fice. Mar; 1989.

23.

23. Moore MH, Gerstein D. Alcohol and Public Policy: Beyond the Shadow of Prohibition-A Report by the National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences. Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 1981.

24.

24. Chiang YS. A National Head and Spinal Injury Prevention Programme in Taiwan, Republic of China. Presented at the First World Conference on Accident and Injury Prevention. Stockholm, Sweden, Sept 21-22, 1989.

25.

25. Rice DP, MacKenzie EJ, et al. Cost of Injury in the United States: A Report to Congress. San Francisco, CA: Institute for Health and Aging, Univ of Cal and Injury Prev Center, The Johns Hopkins Univ; 1989.

26.

26. Baker SP , O'Neil B , Karpf RS. The Injury Fact Book. Lexington Books: Lexington, Mass; 1984.

27.

27. Wong TW , Phoon WO , Lee J , et al. Motorcyclist Traffic Accidents and Risk Factors: A Singapore Study. Asia-Pacific Journal of Public Health 1990;4(1):34–8.

28.

28. Bars P , Smith GS , Mohan D , Baker SP. Injuries of Adults in Developing Countries; Epidemiology and Policy. Adult Health Pop World Bank: Washington; 1990.

29.

29. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Fatal Accident Reporting System, 1988: a review of information on fatal traffic accidents in the United States in 1988. Washington, DC: US Department of Transportation, National Highway traffic Safety Administration, 1989; publication no. HS-807-5-7.

30.

30. Haddon W. Options for the Prevention of Motor Vehicle Crash Injury. Israel Journal of Medical Sciences 1980;16(1):45–68.