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Injury Risk (injury + risk)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Medical Sciences	73%

Selected Abstracts

Extreme College Drinking and Alcohol-Related Injury Risk

ALCOHOLISM, Issue 9 2009
Marlon P. Mundt
Background:, Despite the enormous burden of alcohol-related injuries, the direct connection between college drinking and physical injury has not been well understood. The goal of this study was to assess the connection between alcohol consumption levels and college alcohol-related injury risk. Methods:, A total of 12,900 college students seeking routine care in 5 college health clinics completed a general Health Screening Survey. Of these, 2,090 students exceeded at-risk alcohol use levels and participated in a face-to-face interview to determine eligibility for a brief alcohol intervention trial. The eligibility interview assessed past 28-day alcohol use and alcohol-related injuries in the past 6 months. Risk of alcohol-related injury was compared across daily drinking quantities and frequencies. Logistic regression analysis and the Bayesian Information Criterion were applied to compute the odds of alcohol-related injury based on daily drinking totals after adjusting for age, race, site, body weight, and sensation seeking. Results:, Male college students in the study were 19% more likely (95% CI: 1.12,1.26) to suffer an alcohol-related injury with each additional day of consuming 8 or more drinks. Injury risks among males increased marginally with each day of consuming 5 to 7 drinks (odds ratio = 1.03, 95% CI: 0.94,1.13). Female participants were 10% more likely (95% CI: 1.04,1.16) to suffer an alcohol-related injury with each additional day of drinking 5 or more drinks. Males (OR = 1.69, 95% CI: 1.14,2.50) and females (OR = 1.81, 95% CI: 1.27,2.57) with higher sensation-seeking scores were more likely to suffer alcohol-related injuries. Conclusions:, College health clinics may want to focus limited alcohol injury prevention resources on students who frequently engage in extreme drinking, defined in this study as 8+M/5+F drinks per day, and score high on sensation-seeking disposition. [source]

Injury risk in young people with intellectual disability

JOURNAL OF INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY RESEARCH, Issue 1 2002
J Sherrard
Abstract Epidemiological studies have established injury as a major public health problem for young people in the general population, but minimal population-based injury information exists on those with intellectual disability (ID). The present study investigated risk factors for injury to subjects in the Australian Child and Adolescent Development (ACAD) programme, which is examining emotional and behavioural problems in young people with ID. Extensive biopsychosocial data for the ACAD programme were collected at two time intervals (i.e. 1990,1991 and 1995,1996). Carer report of medically attended injury over one year was collected for the first time period (1995,1996) on a sample of 465 ACAD subjects (aged 5,29 years) representative of young people with ID (IQ < 70) to determine risk factors for injury using the ACAD biopsychosocial data. Psychopathology [odds ratio (OR) = 3.4] epilepsy (OR = 2.4) and an overly sociable temperament (OR = 2.2) are associated with injury in young people with ID. Social and family factors had minimal influence on injury risk in this population. Those who are highly disruptive, self-absorbed, anxious, have problems relating socially, have communication disturbance or have attention deficit hyperactivity symptoms are particularly at increased risk for injury. The present study demonstrates a largely under-recognized public health problem of a high unintentional injury risk for young people with ID, and identifies substantial and important risk factors for injury. Injury prevention programmes, with a particular focus on those with highly disturbed behaviours or epilepsy, are warranted in this population. [source]

Extreme College Drinking and Alcohol-Related Injury Risk

Injury Risk Among Medically Identified Alcohol and Drug Abusers

ALCOHOLISM, Issue 1 2001
Ted R. Miller
Background: Although nonfatal injury prevalence is higher among substance abusers than in the general population, few studies have estimated the injury risk for clinically recognized substance abusers. The extant studies, moreover, analyze rates of visits for injury treatment rather than rates of injury events. This study estimates the excess risk of medically treated and hospitalized nonoccupational injury for people under age 65 with medically identified substance abuse problems and private health care coverage. Method: We conducted a retrospective cohort study by using medical claims data from Medstat Systems, Inc., with a longitudinal database of health care claims for 1.5 million people with health care coverage from 70 large corporations. Claims histories for anyone who had an alcohol-related or drug-related primary or secondary diagnosis during 1987 to 1989 were analyzed. A random sample was selected from the remaining people without a substance abuse diagnosis in their medical records. Injury rates were compared among groups. We used logistic regression to estimate odds of medically treated and hospitalized injury, controlling for demographics. Results: Medically identified substance abusers had an elevated risk of injury in a 3-year period; alcohol and drug abusers had the highest risk (58%), followed by drug-only abusers (49%), alcohol-only abusers (46%), and controls (38%). Alcohol and drug abusers were almost four times as likely to be hospitalized for an injury in a 3-year period when compared with controls. Injury risks were elevated substantially more for female then male substance abusers. Conclusions: This study greatly improves on available information about the risk of injury for drug and multiple-substance abusers. Medically identified substance abusers, especially adult women, have a higher probability of injury, more hospitalized injuries, and more injury episodes per person injured than nonabusers. More aggressive identification and subsequent treatment of female substance abusers appear warranted. [source]

Association of type of sport and performance level with anatomical site of orthopaedic injury diagnosis

EQUINE VETERINARY JOURNAL, Issue S36 2006
R. C. MURRAY
Summary Reason for performing study: Although anecdotal reports of increased orthopaedic injury risk in equine sports exist, there is little scientific evidence to support this. Objectives: To test whether horses undertaking a single competitive sport have increased risk of specific injuries compared to those used for general purpose riding (GP); and whether injury type varies with sport category and performance level. Methods: Data from 1069 records of horses undergoing orthopaedic evaluation (1998,2003) and meeting inclusion criteria were reviewed. Sport category (GP, showjumping, dressage, eventing, racing), level (nonelite or elite) and diagnosis were recorded. Effects of sport category and level on probability of a specific diagnosis were assessed using chisquared tests. Logistic regression was used to determine which competitive sports and levels increased risk of injury compared with GP. Results: Overall there was a significant effect of sport category and level on diagnosis (P<0.0001). There was significant difference between anatomical site injured and sport category (P<0.0001); a high risk of forelimb superficial digital flexor tendon injury in elite eventing (P<0.0001) and elite showjumping (P=0.02); distal deep digital flexor tendon (DDFT) injury in elite showjumping (P=0.002); and hindlimb suspensory ligament injury in elite (P<0.0001) and nonelite (P=0.001) dressage. There was a low risk of tarsal injury in elite eventing (P=0.01) and proximal DDFT injury in dressage (P = 0.01). Conclusions: Horses competing in different sports are predisposed to specific injuries; particular sports may increase the risk of injury at certain anatomical sites; and the type and site of injury may reflect the type and level of performance. Potential relevance: These findings could guide clinicians in the diagnosis of sport related injuries. [source]

Injury risk in young people with intellectual disability

Extreme College Drinking and Alcohol-Related Injury Risk

Injury Risk Among Medically Identified Alcohol and Drug Abusers

Benzodiazepines and injury: a risk adjusted model,,

PHARMACOEPIDEMIOLOGY AND DRUG SAFETY, Issue 1 2005
Dustin D. French MA
Abstract Background Benzodiazepines (BZD) are one class of medications that are generally acknowledged to be a risk factor for injuries. Objective Our objective was to link outpatient prescription data with clinical data in order to develop a risk adjusted binary model that associates BZD usage with the risk for a healthcare encounter for an injury. Methods In total, 3 years of outpatient BZD prescription data, totaling 133,872 outpatient BZD prescriptions for 13,745 patients for a VA medical center, were combined with data from inpatient and outpatient administrative databases. The model incorporated Elixhauser comorbidity measures with 1-year look back period, along with hospital discharges, marital status, age, mean arterial pressure and body mass index. The model also included the dose of the drug, converted to valium equivalents and its duration. The model was analyzed using generalized estimation equations (GEE). Results Dose, duration, discharges and various comorbidities were associated with an increased risk for injury, while being married reduced the risk. Increased body mass was associated with increased injury risk. Increased mean arterial pressure was associated with decreased risk. Conclusions These findings offer guidance on how specific combinations of risk factors and potential protective effects may impact accidental injury risk. Clinicians prescribing or adjusting BZDs can use these results to more accurately tailor medication regimens for a patient. Our findings suggest that clinicians should also consider the nature of the social support system available to the patient in assessing total injury risk. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

Safety walkarounds predict injury risk and reduce injury rates in the construction industry

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE, Issue 6 2010
K.L. Mikkelsen MD
Abstract Background "Safe Workplace",a simplified and educational version of the Finnish building construction methodology involving safety walkarounds where a number of safety indicators are inspected and evaluated,is in widespread use in the Danish construction sector to evaluate physical safety standards proactively at construction work sites. Methods Data from the construction of the Copenhagen Metro were analyzed to determine the method's ability to predict injury risk related to joint responsibilities and individual worker responsibilities. Results A statistically significant association between the risk level as measured by the Safe Workplace methodology and injury risk was found. The relative risk of injury increased with the number of safety indicators violated and was elevated for safety indicators reflecting both individual and joint safety responsibility. The observed injury risk was not elevated in the post-safety walkaround period for safety indicators of individual responsibility, but the joint responsibility indicators retained an elevated injury risk level. Conclusions The data support the hypothesis that safety walkarounds both predict and prevent injuries. Safety indicators of individual responsibility are more likely to be corrected than those of joint responsibility. Am. J. Ind. Med. 53: 601,607, 2010. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]

Informal social status among coworkers and risk of work-related injury among nurse aides in long-term care

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE, Issue 5 2010
Douglas J. Myers ScD
Abstract Background A social network measure was used to explore whether one's rank in an informal social hierarchy of nurse aides employed in a single long-term care facility was associated with risk of work-related injury. Methods Six months of administrative staff schedule data and self-reported injury records were examined. Using survey data, social status rank in the informal hierarchy for each aide was operationalized as the number of coworkers who would approach the aide for advice about work-related matters. Conditional logistic regression was used to model the effect of social status on injury risk; cases were matched to controls consisting of coworkers present on the floor, shift, and date of the injury event. This allowed for a comparison of social status rank within social groups among workers with the same job title. Results Injury incidence rates decreased across tertiles of social status rank scores. A non-significant drop in injury risk in the highest tertile of social status was observed (adjusted OR,=,0.24 95% CI [0.05, 1.32]). Conclusion Findings of this exploratory study were internally consistent and support a theoretical framework suggesting that patterns of social relations between individuals based on informal social status in the workplace may contribute to differences in work-related injury risk among individuals with the same job title. Am. J. Ind. Med. 53:514,523, 2010. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]

Occupational injury disparities in the US hotel industry,

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE, Issue 2 2010
Susan Buchanan MD
Abstract Background Hotel employees have higher rates of occupational injury and sustain more severe injuries than most other service workers. Method OSHA log incidents from five unionized hotel companies for a three-year period were analyzed to estimate injury rates by job, company, and demographic characteristics. Room cleaning work, known to be physically hazardous, was of particular concern. Results A total of 2,865 injuries were reported during 55,327 worker-years of observation. The overall injury rate was 5.2 injuries per 100 worker-years. The rate was highest for housekeepers (7.9), Hispanic housekeepers (10.6), and about double in three companies versus two others. Acute trauma rates were highest in kitchen workers (4.0/100) and housekeepers (3.9/100); housekeepers also had the highest rate of musculoskeletal disorders (3.2/100). Age, being female or Hispanic, job title, and company were all independently associated with injury risk. Conclusion Sex- and ethnicity-based disparities in injury rates were only partially due to the type of job held and the company in which the work was performed. Am. J. Ind. Med. 53:116,125 2010. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]

Impact of publicly sponsored interventions on musculoskeletal injury claims in nursing homes,

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE, Issue 9 2009
Robert M. Park MS
Abstract Background The rate of lost-time sprains and strains in private nursing homes is over three times the national average, and for back injuries, almost four times the national average. The Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation (BWC) has sponsored interventions that were preferentially promoted to nursing homes in 2000,2001, including training, consultation, and grants up to $40,000 for equipment purchases. Methods This study evaluated the impact of BWC interventions on back injury claim rates using BWC data on claims, interventions, and employer payroll for all Ohio nursing homes during 1995,2004 using Poisson regression. A subset of nursing homes was analyzed with more detailed data that allowed estimation of the impact of staffing levels and resident acuity on claim rates. Costs of interventions were compared to the associated savings in claim costs. Results A $500 equipment purchase per nursing home worker was associated with a 21% reduction in back injury rate. Assuming an equipment life of 10 years, this translates to an estimated $768 reduction in claim costs per worker, a present value of $495 with a 5% discount rate applied. Results for training courses were equivocal. Only those receiving below-median hours had a significant 19% reduction in claim rates. Injury rates did not generally decline with consultation independent of equipment purchases, although possible confounding, misclassification, and bias due to non-random management participation clouds interpretation. In nursing homes with available data, resident acuity was modestly associated with back injury risk, and the injury rate increased with resident-to-staff ratio (acting through three terms: RR,=,1.50 for each additional resident per staff member; for the ratio alone, RR,=,1.32, 95% CI,=,1.18,1.48). In these NHs, an expenditure of $908 per resident care worker (equivalent to $500 per employee in the other model) was also associated with a 21% reduction in injury rate. However, with a resident-to-staff ratio greater than 2.0, the same expenditure was associated with a $1,643 reduction in back claim costs over 10 years per employee, a present value of $1,062 with 5% discount rate. Conclusions Expenditures for ergonomic equipment in nursing homes by the Ohio BWC were associated with fewer worker injuries and reductions in claim costs that were similar in magnitude to expenditures. Un-estimated benefits and costs also need to be considered in assessing full health and financial impacts. Am. J. Ind. Med. 52:683,697, 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]

Childhood problem behaviors and injury risk over the life course

THE JOURNAL OF CHILD PSYCHOLOGY AND PSYCHIATRY AND ALLIED DISCIPLINES, Issue 12 2009
Markus Jokela
Background:, Childhood externalizing and internalizing behaviors have been associated with injury risk in childhood and adolescence, but it is unknown whether this association continues to hold in adulthood. We examined whether externalizing and internalizing behaviors expressed in childhood predict injuries in childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. Methods:, The participants were from the 1958 British birth cohort (n = 11,537). Problem behaviors were assessed by teachers at ages 7 and 11. Injuries were reported by the participants' parents (at ages 7, 11, 16) and by the participants (at ages 23, 33, 42, and 46). Data on injury severity were available at ages 23 and 33, and on types of injuries at ages 23, 33, and 42. Measures of childhood family environment included father's social class, family size, and family difficulties. Adult psychological distress, treated as a potential mediating factor, was assessed at ages 23, 33, and 42. Results:, Externalizing behavior predicted increased injury risk: one SD increase in externalizing score was associated with 10,19% increase in the rate of injuries in childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. In contrast, internalizing behavior decreased injury rate by 3,9% in adolescence and adulthood. Externalizing behavior was associated with various types of injuries, including injuries in traffic, at home, at work, and from violent assaults, while internalizing behavior predicted decreased injury risk particularly in sports, in traffic, and at home. These associations were largely independent of childhood family environment and adult psychological distress. Conclusions:, The findings suggest that childhood problem behaviors predict injury risk over the life course from childhood to midlife, with externalizing behaviors increasing and internalizing behaviors decreasing this risk. [source]

Injuries in Youth Football: National Emergency Department Visits during 2001,2005 for Young and Adolescent Players

ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE, Issue 3 2009
Michael J. Mello MD
Abstract Objectives:, Limited research exists describing youth football injuries, and many of these are confined to specific regions or communities. The authors describe U.S. pediatric football injury patterns receiving emergency department (ED) evaluation and compare injury patterns between the younger and older youth football participants. Methods:, A retrospective analysis of ED data on football injuries was performed using the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System,All Injury Program. Injury risk estimates were calculated over a 5-year period (2001,2005) using participation data from the National Sporting Goods Association. Injury types are described for young (7,11 years) and adolescent (12,17 years) male football participants. Results:, There were an estimated total of 1,060,823 visits to U.S. EDs for males with football-related injuries. The most common diagnoses in the younger group (7,11 years) were fracture/dislocation (29%), sprain/strain (27%), and contusion (27%). In the older group (ages 12,17 years), diagnoses included sprain/strain (31%), fracture/dislocation (29%), and contusion (23%). Older participants had a significantly higher injury risk of injury over the 5-year study period: 11.0 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 9.2 to 12.8) versus 6.1 (95% CI = 4.8 to 7.3) per 1,000 participants/year. Older participants had a higher injury risk across all categories, with the greatest disparity being with traumatic brain injury (TBI), 0.8 (95% CI = 0.6 to 1.0) versus 0.3 (95% CI = 0.2 to 0.4) per 1,000 participants/year. Conclusions:, National youth football injury patterns are similar to those previously reported in community and cohort studies. Older participants have a significantly higher injury risk, especially with TBI. [source]

Work-related non-fatal injuries among foreign-born and US-born workers: Findings from the U.S. National Health Interview Survey, 1997,2005

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF INDUSTRIAL MEDICINE, Issue 1 2009
Xiaofei Zhang MD
Abstract Background Millions of foreign-born workers are employed in the US. Population-based surveys have value in describing the non-fatal work-related injuries that these workers suffer. Methods Using data from the 1997,2005 National Health Interview Survey, we compared the rates of non-fatal work-related injuries among foreign-born and US-born adult workers. Logistic regression was used to produce work-related injury odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) by nativity and years of residence while controlling for sex, age, race/ethnicity, education, poverty, family size, insurance status, delayed medical care, and alcohol use. Industry-specific rates were also compared. Results Foreign-born workers reported a lower rate of work-related injuries than US-born workers, 50 per 10,000 foreign-born workers versus 89 per 10,000 US-born workers (P,<,0.01). After controlling for confounding variables, the OR of work-related injuries for foreign-born workers as compared to US-born workers was 0.50 (95% CI,=,0.38,0.66). The construction, agriculture/forestry and fisheries, and manufacturing industries had the highest work-related injury rates for both groups of workers. Conclusions Foreign-born workers had a lower overall rate of work-related injury when compared to US-born workers. Both US-born and foreign-born workers face significant injury risks, especially in certain industries. Interventions tailored with ethnic and cultural differences in mind are still warranted. Am. J. Ind. Med. 52:25,36, 2009. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]

Childhood unintentional injuries: the perceived impact of the environment, lack of supervision and child characteristics

CHILD: CARE, HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT, Issue 3 2006
S.-A. Munro
Abstract Background Investigations into the context and causation of injury, including injury risks, are an essential part of the injury prevention knowledge base. Caregiver perceptions of childhood injury risks may assist in the design of safety interventions and influence the way in which an intervention is received within a community. Methods Focus groups and individual interviews were conducted in two low-income neighbourhoods in South Africa to collect information on caregiver perceptions of injury risks. The data were analysed via thematic content analysis. Results The results revealed that injury risks are perceived as multifaceted and as contributing synergistically to an injury event. Parents of children also tended to attribute most risks to the environment instead of individual action. Conclusions Interventions including passive strategies and less activity from the parent may be welcomed in communities. Attention should be given to child injury prevention methods specifically for low-income contexts. [source]

Bicycle helmet campaigns and head injuries among children.

CHILD: CARE, HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT, Issue 1 2004
Does poverty matter?
Objectives To assess the impact of a community-based bicycle helmet programme aimed at children aged 5,12 years (about 140 000) from poor and well-off municipalities. Methods A quasi-experimental design, including a control group, was used. Changes in the risk of bicycle-related head injuries leading to hospitalization were measured, using rates ratios. Results Reductions in bicycle-related head injuries were registered in both categories of municipalities. Compared with the pre-programme period, the protective effect of the programme during the post-programme period was as significant among children from poor municipalities (RR 0.45; 95% CI 0.26,0.78) as among those from richer municipalities (RR 0.55; 95% CI 0.41,0.75). Conclusion Population-based educational programmes may have a favourable impact on injury risks in poor areas despite lower adoption of protective behaviours. [source]