The prehospital burden of disease due to trauma in KwaZulu-Natal: the need for Afrocentric trauma systems.

Background: Trauma is one of the leading prehospital disease profiles in South Africa in general and in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) in particular. The present study was designed to review the prehospital burden of injury in KZN, identify trauma burden to ambulance ratios, analyze system deficiencies, and propose a prehospital trauma system that is Afrocentric in nature.

Methods: Approval from the relevant ethics authorities was obtained.