Long-term consequences resulting from road traffic crashes: A scoping review.

BACKGROUND: The huge number of road traffic crashes (RTCs) resulting in death, disability or injury renders road safety a crucial issue worldwide. Nevertheless, most of the available literature focus on the pre-RTC factors rather than the post-crash period. As a result, little is known about the physical and mental burden following a RTC. The aim of this scoping review was to summarize the evidence on the factors associated with the long-term consequences on physical and mental health of individuals involved in RTCs. METHOD: Long-term consequences, physical and mental health, quality of life, road traffic crash were some of the keywords used to search the PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science electronic databases. Eligible studies were observational, published between 2010 and 2024, investigating the physical and mental long-term consequences of RTCs on any type of road users. RESULTS: Starting from 419 papers and following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines, 50 studies were recorded as relevant. After reading the full text and retrieving two further articles through citation searching, 35 studies were included in this review. Findings showed that variables associated with the long-term consequences on physical and mental health can be categorized into demographic, clinical, psychological, socioeconomic, and crash-related factors. When distinguishing among road user types, cyclists showed better health outcomes compared to other groups. CONCLUSIONS: This scoping review focuses on the long-term physical and psychological impact that RTCs have on individuals, emphasizing the need to regard recovery as an extended and multidimensional process. Methodological heterogeneity across studies limits comparability, thus underscoring the need for standardized measures and consistent follow-up periods in future research. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: These findings carry important implications for clinical care and public health and highlight the importance of identifying individuals at risk of unfavorable long-term consequences and implementing coordinated approaches that encompass both physical and psychological aspects.