Road traffic injuries in Peace Corps Volunteers, 1996-2014
Conclusions
Peace Corps transportation policies and training, and changes to road environments worldwide, may have led to a decrease in the rate of road traffic injuries among Peace Corps Volunteers. Pedestrians and bicyclists remain at risk of road traffic injuries. (Source: Injury Prevention)
Source: Injury Prevention - March 22, 2017 Category: Accident Prevention Authors: Ferguson, R. W., Henderson, S. J., Jung, P. Tags: Epidemiologic studies Original article Source Type: research
Questioning risk-based fire and life safety education age priorities
Conventional wisdom assumes that Fire and Life Safety Education (FLSE) programmes should be concentrated on high-risk groups, an approach that prioritises children under 14 years of age and adults aged 65 years and over. Warda et al1 declare it ‘essential to decisively target campaigns to those at highest risk for fire injury’, and identify young children and the elderly as the two age groups requiring this focus due to their higher relative risk of dying in a fire. The US Department of Homeland Security advocates for the same strategy in establishing guidelines for fire prevention grant applications, and UK Fi...
Source: Injury Prevention - March 22, 2017 Category: Accident Prevention Authors: McNamara, T. Tags: Commentary Source Type: research
Global news highlights
Henry J Heimlich died at 96 Injury prevention involves primary, secondary or tertiary strategies. An important element in the secondary category is the Heimlich manoeuvre, introduced in 1974. Since then it has saved many lives, perhaps as many as 100 000, threatened by choking. Its founder, Henry J Heimlich, a thoracic surgeon and medical maverick, recently died at age 96. Ironically, he himself only used the manoeuvre once: saving a choking 87-year-old woman. Heimlich has many critics, partly because he was given to self-publicising. But he once commented on his contributions in these words: ‘I can do more towa...
Source: Injury Prevention - January 19, 2017 Category: Accident Prevention Authors: Pless, I. B. Tags: News and notes Source Type: research
Six-month follow-up of lithium-battery smoke alarms and self-reported reasons for disabling
Although smoke alarms with lithium batteries are often marketed as ‘10-year alarms’, on average, these alarms do not remain functional for 10 years. This paper describes self-reported reasons for non-working lithium-battery alarms 6–9 months following a smoke alarm installation programme. Data presented are for a cohort of 754 homes that participated in the installation programme and subsequently completed follow-up. A total of 1487 smoke alarms were installed. At follow-up, 126 alarms (8%) were missing and 37 (3%) were observed to be non-working. Of the non-working alarms, residents reported that th...
Source: Injury Prevention - January 19, 2017 Category: Accident Prevention Authors: Omaki, E., Shields, W. C., Frattaroli, S., McDonald, E., Jones, V., Gielen, A. Tags: Brief report Source Type: research
Blood alcohol and injury in Bhutan: targeted surveillance in a national referral hospital emergency department
Bhutan is a low-middle-income country with poor roads, rapidly increasing motor vehicle use and heavy alcohol consumption. We estimated the proportion of emergency department patients presenting with injury who had positive blood alcohol. We sought to breathalyse and interview all adult patients (≥18 years) presenting with injury at the Jigme Dorji Wangchuck National Referral Hospital in the capital city Thimphu, from April to October 2015. Breath tests and interviews were conducted with 339 (91%) of 374 eligible adult patients. A third (34%) were alcohol-positive and 22% had blood alcohol concentrations >0.08&n...
Source: Injury Prevention - January 19, 2017 Category: Accident Prevention Authors: Dorji, G., Pradhan, S., Tenzin, T., Miller, P., Connor, J., Kypri, K. Tags: Brief report Source Type: research
A review of stroller-related and pram-related injuries to children in Singapore
Prams and strollers are commonly used in daily childcare. We aim to study the type and severity of injuries associated with prams and strollers in an Asian population. We performed a retrospective review of children below the age of 6 who presented to a tertiary paediatric hospital in Singapore, from January 2012 to June 2015, with such injuries. There were 248 pram-related and stroller-related injuries. The median age was 12.5 months old. 69 (27.8%) sustained open wounds, 17 (6.9%) suffered fractures or dislocations and 2 children had significant head injuries. 29 patients (11.7%) sustained injuries while on stairs o...
Source: Injury Prevention - January 19, 2017 Category: Accident Prevention Authors: Tripathi, M., Tyebally, A., Feng, J. X. Y., Chong, S.-L. Tags: Brief report Source Type: research
Prevalence, recovery patterns and predictors of quality of life and costs after non-fatal injury: the Brabant Injury Outcome Surveillance (BIOS) study
This study should make a substantial contribution to the international collaborative effort to assess the societal impact and burden of injuries more accurately. The BIOS results will also be used to develop an outcome prediction model for outcome evaluation including, besides the classic fatal, non-fatal outcome.
Trial registration number
NCT02508675. (Source: Injury Prevention)
Source: Injury Prevention - January 19, 2017 Category: Accident Prevention Authors: de Jongh, M. A. C., Kruithof, N., Gosens, T., van de Ree, C. L. P., de Munter, L., Brouwers, L., Polinder, S., Lansink, K. W. W., BIOS-group, van Eerten, van Eijck, van Geffen, Haagh, Poelhekke, Sintenie, Stevens, van der Veen, van der Vlies, Vos Tags: Epidemiologic studies Study protocol Source Type: research
Evaluating a smartphone application to improve child passenger safety and fire safety knowledge and behaviour
This study will contribute to the evidence about how to promote benefits of proper and consistent child restraint and smoke alarm use.
Trial registration number
NCT02345941; Pre-results. (Source: Injury Prevention)
Source: Injury Prevention - January 19, 2017 Category: Accident Prevention Authors: Omaki, E., Shields, W. C., McDonald, E., Aitken, M. E., Bishai, D., Case, J., Gielen, A. Tags: Clinical trials (epidemiology) Study protocol Source Type: research
Towards valid 'serious non-fatal injury indicators for international comparisons based on probability of admission estimates
Conclusions
Using a large study size, we identified injury diagnoses with high estimated PrAs. These diagnoses can be used as the basis for more valid international comparisons of life-threatening injury, based on hospital discharge data, for countries with well-developed healthcare and data collection systems. (Source: Injury Prevention)
Source: Injury Prevention - January 19, 2017 Category: Accident Prevention Authors: Cryer, C., Miller, T. R., Lyons, R. A., Macpherson, A. K., Perez, K., Petridou, E. T., Dessypris, N., Davie, G. S., Gulliver, P. J., Lauritsen, J., Boufous, S., Lawrence, B., de Graaf, B., Steiner, C. A. Tags: Methodology Source Type: research
Decomposing change in China's suicide rate, 1990-2010: ageing and urbanisation
Conclusion
As the positive impact of urbanisation on suicide rates is diminishing, further urbanisation and rapid change in society may induce stress and adjustment problems that are not conducive to the promotion of well-being. Furthermore, as China is facing the prospects of slower economic growth and a rapidly ageing population, suicides among older adults may also be elevated, particularly among those in rural areas with insufficient healthcare and social support. In order to maintain the decreasing trend of suicide in China, it is important for the Chinese government to pay more attention to the mental well-being of t...
Source: Injury Prevention - January 19, 2017 Category: Accident Prevention Authors: Sha, F., Yip, P. S. F., Law, Y. W. Tags: Suicide/Self harm (injury), Suicide (public health) Original article Source Type: research
Preventing violence-related injuries in England and Wales: a panel study examining the impact of on-trade and off-trade alcohol prices
Conclusions
Small increases in the price of alcohol, above inflation, in both markets, would substantially reduce the number of patients attending EDs for treatment of violence-related injuries in England and Wales. Reforming the current alcohol taxation system may be more effective at reducing violence-related injury than minimum unit pricing. (Source: Injury Prevention)
Source: Injury Prevention - January 19, 2017 Category: Accident Prevention Authors: Page, N., Sivarajasingam, V., Matthews, K., Heravi, S., Morgan, P., Shepherd, J. Tags: Press releases Original article Source Type: research
Perils of police action: a cautionary tale from US data sets
Conclusions
Healthcare administrative data sets can inform public debate about injuries resulting from legal police intervention. Excess per capita death rates among blacks and youth at police hands are reflections of excess exposure. International Classification of Diseases legal intervention coding needs revision. (Source: Injury Prevention)
Source: Injury Prevention - January 19, 2017 Category: Accident Prevention Authors: Miller, T. R., Lawrence, B. A., Carlson, N. N., Hendrie, D., Randall, S., Rockett, I. R. H., Spicer, R. S. Tags: Editor's choice, Press releases Original article Source Type: research
Cost-benefit analysis of fall injuries prevented by a programme of home modifications: a cluster randomised controlled trial
Conclusions
This is the first randomised controlled trial to examine the benefits of home modification for reducing fall injury costs in the general population. The results show a convincing economic justification for undertaking relatively low-cost home repairs and installing safety features to prevent falls.
Trial registration number
ACTRN12609000779279. (Source: Injury Prevention)
Source: Injury Prevention - January 19, 2017 Category: Accident Prevention Authors: Keall, M. D., Pierse, N., Howden-Chapman, P., Guria, J., Cunningham, C. W., Baker, M. G. Tags: Clinical trials (epidemiology) Original article Source Type: research
Cognitive and motor abilities of young children and risk of injuries in the home
Conclusions
Children with cognitive delays, especially those with normal motor development, are at elevated risk for residential injuries. Injury prevention efforts should target children with developmental delays.
Clinical trials number
NCT00129324; post-results. (Source: Injury Prevention)
Source: Injury Prevention - January 19, 2017 Category: Accident Prevention Authors: Ehrhardt, J., Xu, Y., Khoury, J., Yolton, K., Lanphear, B., Phelan, K. Tags: Original article Source Type: research
Exploring optimal air ambulance base locations in Norway using advanced mathematical modelling
Conclusions
The whole population could be reached in 45 min or less using nine optimally placed bases. The current base structure could be improved by moving or adding one or two select bases. Municipality level data appears sufficient for proper analysis. (Source: Injury Prevention)
Source: Injury Prevention - January 19, 2017 Category: Accident Prevention Authors: Roislien, J., van den Berg, P. L., Lindner, T., Zakariassen, E., Aardal, K., van Essen, J. T. Tags: Open access Original article Source Type: research
