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Motor Vehicle Accident (motor + vehicle_accident)
Selected AbstractsDemographic and clinical characteristics of motor vehicle accident victims in the community general health outpatient clinic: a comparison of PTSD and non-PTSD subjectsDEPRESSION AND ANXIETY, Issue 4 2007Marina Kupchik M.D. Abstract Motor vehicle accidents (MVAs) are the leading cause of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in the general population, often with enduring symptomatology. This study details epidemiological and clinical features that characterize PTSD among MVA victims living in a nonhospitalized community setting long after the MVA event, and includes exploration of premorbid and peritraumatic factors. MVA victims (n=60; 23 males, 37 females) identified from the registry of a community general health outpatient clinic during a 7-year period were administered an extensive structured battery of epidemiological, diagnostic and clinical ratings. Results indicated that 30 subjects (50%; 12 males, 18 females) had MVA-related PTSD (MVAR-PTSD). Among those with PTSD, 16 individuals exhibited PTSD in partial remission, and six, in full remission. There were no significant demographic or occupational function differences between PTSD and non-PTSD groups. The most common comorbid conditions with MVAR-PTSD were social phobia (20%), generalized anxiety disorder (7.8%) and obsessive,compulsive disorder (0.5%). Previous MVA's were not predictive of PTSD. Subjects with MVAR-PTSD scored worse on the Clinician-Administered Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Scale, Part 2 (CAPS-2), Impact of Event Scale, Hamilton Depression Rating Scale, Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale, Impulsivity Scale, and Toronto Alexithymia Rating Scale. Study observations indicate a relatively high rate of PTSD following an MVA in a community-based sample. The relatively high rate of partially remitted MVAR-PTSD (N=16) underscores the importance of subsyndromal forms of illness. Alexithymia may be an adaptive method of coping with event stress. The development of PTSD appears not to be associated with the severity of MVA-related physical injury. Depression and Anxiety 24:244,250, 2007. © 2006 Wiley,Liss, Inc. [source] Clinical and sociodemographic variables associated with the onset of posttraumatic stress disorder in road traffic accidentsDEPRESSION AND ANXIETY, Issue 5 2008Ramón Coronas M.D. Abstract Our objective was to identify variables related to the onset of acute posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after a road traffic accident. We evaluated 60 victims of a motor vehicle accident (MVA) in 2004 at 2 months postaccident. Thirty of them had developed PTSD; the other 30 had not developed PTSD. Clinical data, physical injuries, and sociodemographic characteristics were determined in 60 victims. The Davidson Trauma Scale (DTS) and a Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV (SCID) were used to evaluate PTSD occurrence. PTSD scores assessed by DTS and SCID at 2 months were significantly and positively associated with female sex, severe physical injuries, perceived social deprivation, and loss of job activity due to the accident. Female sex, severe physical injury, perceived social deprivation, and sick leave were related to the diagnosis of PTSD 2 months after the accident. Depression and Anxiety 0:1,8, 2007. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Orthostatic Headaches in the Syndrome of the Trephined: Resolution Following CranioplastyHEADACHE, Issue 7 2010Bahram Mokri MD Objective., To draw attention to the syndrome of the trephined as a potential cause for orthostatic headaches without cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak. Background., Orthostatic headaches typically result from CSF leaks but sometimes may occur in conditions without any evidence of CSF leakage. Methods., A 37-year-old right-handed woman became comatose after a motor vehicle accident with cerebral contusions and massive left cerebral edema. A large frontoparietal craniectomy was carried out. In 5 months, she made good neurologic recovery. Freeze-preserved bone flap was placed back. In several weeks she was functionally near normal. Two years later, she began to complain of orthostatic headache and gradually additional manifestations appeared including progressive gait unsteadiness, imprecise speech, cognitive difficulties, and an increasing left hemiparesis along with progressive sinking of the skull defect and shift of the midline and ventricular distortion. She underwent removal of resorptive sinking bone flap and construction of an acrylic cranioplasty. Results., At 6-month follow-up, there was complete resolution of the orthostatic headaches, remarkable neurologic improvement along with resolution of midline shift and ventricular distortion. Conclusion., The syndrome of the trephined is yet another cause of orthostatic headaches without CSF leak. [source] Orthopaedic patients' experience of motor vehicle accident in SingaporeINTERNATIONAL NURSING REVIEW, Issue 1 2008K.L. Tan mn (ortho nrsg) Aim:, The purpose of this paper is to present a study that explored the experiences of orthopaedic patients injured in motor vehicle accidents (MVAs), from the time of the accident until 6 months after being discharged from hospital. Background:, Trauma injuries from MVAs are increasing, with the number of deaths from such injuries continuing to rise. Victims often sustain open fractures to more than one part of their body and need rehabilitation and support to adjust to long-term chronic or permanent disability. In the last decade, research pertaining to trauma nursing has concentrated on neurologically injured patients. Although there is a paucity of research on the nursing perspective of psychological care for non-neurologically injured patients, the majority of studies located were mainly quantitative in nature and did not analyse the personal experiences of orthopaedic patients. Method:, A qualitative naturalistic inquiry approach was used, which provided a first-hand account of the traumatic MVA event experienced by six orthopaedic participants in Singapore. Data were collected from face-to-face in-depth interviews. Participants were voluntarily recruited through purposeful sampling and ,snowballing'. Interviews were audiotaped and transcribed verbatim in preparation for analysis. Findings:, The analysis of information explicated four main themes: the experience of the event, the effect of hospitalization, surviving the event and self-transformation. Conclusion:, The study provided an understanding of orthopaedic patients' experience of MVA in Singapore. The findings of the study have the potential to contribute to the limited qualitative research available concerning victims' experiences of MVAs and nurses caring for MVA victims. [source] Posttraumatic growth in accident survivors: openness and optimism as predictors of its constructive or illusory sidesJOURNAL OF CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY, Issue 3 2008Tanja Zoellner Abstract Posttraumatic growth (PTG), the phenomenon of self-reported positive outcomes of trauma, is assumed to consist of two sides: a constructive and an illusory side. This study investigates the relationship between PTG and its possible illusory and constructive predictors, as well as the moderating role of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) severity. One-hundred two motor vehicle accident (MVA) survivors with full, subsyndromal, and without PTSD were assessed by multiple psychometric measures targeting PTSD severity, posttraumatic growth, optimism, and openness to experience. Hierarchical regression analysis yielded differential interaction effects between PTSD severity and optimism, as well as openness facets pointing to the moderating role of PTSD severity in the prediction of an illusory and a constructive factor in PTG. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Psychol. 64: 245,263, 2008. [source] Trauma history characteristics and subsequent PTSD symptoms in motor vehicle accident victims,JOURNAL OF TRAUMATIC STRESS, Issue 4 2008Leah Irish The present study examined the relationship between trauma history characteristics (number and type of traumas, age at first trauma, and subjective responses to prior traumas) and the development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms following a motor vehicle accident (MVA). One hundred eighty-eight adult MVA victims provided information about prior traumatization and were evaluated for PTSD symptoms 6 weeks and one year following the MVA. Results indicated that after controlling for demographics and depression, prior trauma history characteristics accounted for a small, but significant amount of the variance in PTSD symptoms. Distress from prior trauma and number of types of prior traumas were the most meaningful trauma history predictors. Results encourage further evaluation of trauma history as a multifaceted construct. [source] Feasibility and effectiveness of cognitive,behavioral therapy for posttraumatic stress disorder in preschool children: Two case reportsJOURNAL OF TRAUMATIC STRESS, Issue 4 2007Michael S. Scheeringa New evidence raises concerns that posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in preschool children is unremitting over years even with unstructured community treatment. This report presents proof of concept of the feasibility and effectiveness of a structured therapy, cognitive,behavioral therapy (CBT), for preschool PTSD that follows a range of different traumatic events. Two cases are presented, including transcribed dialogue, from a motor vehicle accident and Hurricane Katrina, respectively. Three key CBT feasibility questions were examined; it was concluded that (a) young children can cooperate meaningfully in structured, trauma-related exposure exercises; (b) they can utilize relaxation techniques successfully; and (c) highly anxious parents do not inhibit their children's improvement per se as long as they can facilitate the manual techniques. Clinicians need to be aware of emerging evidence-based treatment for preschool children. [source] Erratum for "Posttraumatic stress after a motor vehicle accident: A six-month follow-up study utilizing latent growth modeling"JOURNAL OF TRAUMATIC STRESS, Issue 3 2007Article first published online: 27 JUN 200 [source] Posttraumatic stress after a motor vehicle accident: A six-month follow-up study utilizing latent growth modelingJOURNAL OF TRAUMATIC STRESS, Issue 6 2006Kitty K. Wu Features of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) for 596 survivors of motor vehicle accidents were examined by self-report measures at 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months after the motor vehicle accident (MVA). Latent growth modeling was utilized to study the trend and predictors of the level of distress. Results indicated that 5,20% of the participants reported to have a significant level of posttraumatic stress in one, two, or three of the PTSD symptom clusters within the period studied. Survivors with significant acute stress 1 week after the MVA had a higher risk for developing chronic posttraumatic stress. Although the severity of intrusive and hyperarousal symptoms decreased over time, the severity of avoidance symptoms remained unchanged. Factors predicting the course of PTSD after an MVA are identified. [source] Heart rate of motor vehicle accident survivors in the emergency department, peritraumatic psychological reactions, ASD, and PTSD severity: A 6-month prospective studyJOURNAL OF TRAUMATIC STRESS, Issue 5 2006Eric Kuhn This small-scale study investigates the relationships between the heart rate of motor vehicle accident survivors presenting in the emergency department (ED) and acute stress disorder (ASD) and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptom severity. It also examines the relationships between the survivor's heart rate in the ED and peritraumatic dissociation and peritraumatic distress reported 2 weeks posttrauma. Fifty motor vehicle accident (MVA) survivors were assessed 2 weeks, 1 (N = 42), 3 (N = 37), and 6 months (N = 37) post-MVA. The heart rate in the ED predicted self-reported ASD symptom severity and clinician-rated PTSD symptom severity at 6 months but not at 1 or 3 months. Survivors' heart rate in the ED was significantly correlated with peritraumatic dissociation but not peritraumatic distress. These findings support the role of elevated ED heart rate as a predictor of both ASD and chronic PTSD symptom severity and may help to clarify the discrepant findings of previous research. [source] Emergency room vital signs and PTSD in a treatment seeking sample of motor vehicle accident survivorsJOURNAL OF TRAUMATIC STRESS, Issue 3 2002Edward B. Blanchard Abstract Seeking to replicate earlier reports by Shalev et al. (1998) and R. A. Bryant. A. G. Harvey. R. M. Guthrie, and M. L. Moulds (2000) that elevated heart rate (HR) shortly after a trauma was predictive of later posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), we examined vital sign data on 74 treatment-seeking motor vehicle accident (MVA) survivors, taken in the Emergency Department (ED) following their MVAs. Contrary to expectations, we found that those with elevated HRs in the ED were significantly less likely to meet criteria for PTSD 13 months post-MVA and that those with elevated HRs had lower levels of posttraumatic stress symptoms. Likewise, those with current PTSD had lower ED values of HR and DBP than did those who did not currently meet criteria for PTSD. [source] Anaesthetic management of tracheobronchial rupture following blunt chest traumaACTA ANAESTHESIOLOGICA SCANDINAVICA, Issue 7 2003K. Naghibi Injuries to the tracheobronchial tree are a well-recognized sequel of massive blunt trauma to the chest, and although unusual, are life threatening. We report a 16-year-old-boy who developed complete disruption of both bronchi after a motor vehicle accident. After induction of general anaesthesia and oral intubation, ventilation could not be maintained, and oxygenation worsened abruptly with peripheral oxygen saturation values less than 60%. Jet ventilation through two intrabronchial catheters, inserted via emergency thoracotomy, raised the saturation from 60% to 100%, and surgery thereafter was straightforward. The anaesthetic management of tracheobronchial repair is discussed. [source] Functional capacity evaluation reports for clients with personal injury claims: a content analysisOCCUPATIONAL THERAPY INTERNATIONAL, Issue 2 2004Shelley Allen Abstract Functional capacity evaluations (FCEs) for personal injury claimants are rigorously scrutinized by the stakeholders because of their financial implications. This study examined 51 medico-legal FCE reports for clients all of whom suffered with spinal pain attributed to a motor vehicle accident. The FCEs were completed by 14 occupational therapists. Content analysis of the FCE reports identified categories and sub-categories of objective and subjective information on which occupational therapists reported. They included employment, activities of daily living, pain, functional physical capacities and job demands. Recommendations included the suitability of current and future jobs. However, the reasoning behind occupational therapists' recommendations in the FCE reports was frequently not stated. This content analysis demonstrated that these detailed FCE reports had a consistent focus on work capacity; further, the researchers suggest refinements to FCE reporting practices so that findings, recommendations and predictions about work outcomes for clients are interpreted clearly and realistically. Copyright © 2004 Whurr Publishers Ltd. [source] The "Swimmer's View" as Alternative When Lateral View Is Inadequate During Interlaminar Cervical Epidural Steroid InjectionsPAIN MEDICINE, Issue 5 2010Arjang Abbasi DO Abstract Objective., To present a technique that better visualizes the needle during interlaminar cervical epidural steroid injection (ICESI) in patients where the lateral view is inadequate. Design., Case report. Setting., Private group practice. Subject., A 57-year-old morbidly obese male presenting for ICESI for left neck and upper limb pain after a motor vehicle accident. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed left C6-7 herniated nucleus pulposis and C4-5 osteophytic disc-ridge complex. Electrodiagnostic evaluation revealed activity consistent with a left C7 radiculopathy. Intervention., Left C7-T1 ICESI. Needle was obscured in the lateral view by the patient's shoulders. Needle was made visible by positioning the patient for Swimmer's view. Results., Full resolution of symptoms without associated complications. Conclusions., Grave complications have been associated with ICESI necessitating impeccable and systematic technique with substantial knowledge of anatomy. Although injection at lower levels is advocated for safety concerns, the needle during lateral view may be obscured by the shoulders in some patients. The "Swimmer's View" position may be attempted when lateral view is insufficient to visualize needle during ICESI. [source] Delayed ventricular fibrillation following blunt chest trauma in a 4-year-old childPEDIATRIC ANESTHESIA, Issue 4 2006RIAD TOME MD Summary A 4-year-old boy who was involved in a motor vehicle accident as a pedestrian and suffered blunt chest trauma was admitted to the emergency room. Unpredictable delayed ventricular fibrillation was diagnosed and treated successfully 2 h later. This case cannot be classified as commotio cordis as the ventricular fibrillation (VF) developed so long after the sustained chest injury. At the same time, other possible etiologies of VF such as cardiac pathology or electrolyte and metabolic disorders had been ruled out. Thus, an etiological link between the chest trauma and the subsequent VF could not be ruled out and is in fact plausible despite the late onset. [source] Patterns of Maxillofacial Injuries As a Function of Automobile Restraint Use,THE LARYNGOSCOPE, Issue 4 2000M. Scott Major MD Abstract Objective To determine the pattern and severity of maxillofacial injuries sustained in a motor vehicle accident (MVA) resulting from automobile restraint use. Design Retrospective database review of patients injured in a MVA who were admitted to the level I trauma center at the University of Louisville Hospital in Louisville, Kentucky. Methods Demographic data, drug and alcohol impairment screening, and comorbidity data were obtained from database searches of trauma records. Forty-four patients had an airbag deployed, 34 patients wore seat belts, and 94 patients were unrestrained. All maxillofacial Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) ratings were compared among the three groups. Results Twenty-two of the 44 patients (50%) in the airbag group sustained only facial injuries. Fifteen of them had lacerations; four others had only facial abrasions. Three of the airbag patients had moderate facial injuries (AIS = 2); none required operative management. The airbag group had a mean AIS rating of 1.13, the seat belt group a mean AIS of 1.29, and the unrestrained group a mean AIS of 1.46. Patients using either seat belts (mean age, 40.5 y) or airbags (mean age, 44.9 y) were older than the unrestrained group (mean age, 39.6 y). Drug and/or alcohol impairment was significantly greater in the unrestrained group (mean, 38%) compared with the seat belt group (mean, 26%) and the airbag group (mean 11%). Conclusions Use of airbags is associated with less severe maxillofacial injuries compared with either a seat belt alone or no restraint. There is an inherent risk of minor maxillofacial injuries with airbag usage, but the severity of injury is distinctly reduced. [source] Dental trauma that require fixation in a children's hospitalDENTAL TRAUMATOLOGY, Issue 1 2008Timothy Bruns Complex injuries to permanent teeth and their periodontium require immediate repositioning and stabilization. Many of these emergencies are treated by pediatric dental residents at the Women and Children's Hospital of Buffalo, Buffalo, New York. The purpose of this study was to characterize these complex injuries of permanent teeth that require emergency treatment in a Children's Hospital. All of the cases of dental trauma which had involved permanent teeth and which had been treated with a splint in 2001 and 2002 were reviewed. There were 79 patients that were between 5 and 19 years of age with twice as many males (54) as females (25). The number of males increased from childhood (5,10 years) to early adolescence (11,15 years) and then decreased rapidly in late adolescence (16,19 years), whereas the number of females decreased steadily with age. Most of the incidents occurred during the summer months (72%), particularly in June and July (42%), and Fridays and Saturdays were the busiest days of the week. Most of the injuries were caused by organized and recreational sporting activities (39%) and accidental falls (33%), followed by interpersonal violence (15%) and a few motor vehicle accidents (7%). The 173 permanent tooth injuries were mostly luxations (62%) or avulsions (20%), with only a few fractures of the alveolar bone (5%) or tooth root (1%). Most of the displacements were lateral luxations (40%) or extrusions (18%) with only a few intrusions (3%). These injuries most commonly afflicted the maxillary central incisors (54%), followed by the maxillary laterals (18%) and mandibular centrals (17%). The emergency treatment that was provided at the Children's Hospital included replantation and repositioning, and the placement of a semi-rigid or flexible splint. [source] Dental emergencies presenting to a dental teaching hospital due to complications from traumatic dental injuriesDENTAL TRAUMATOLOGY, Issue 4 2002Suhad H. Al-JundiArticle first published online: 29 JUL 200 Abstract ,,,In Jordan, only two surveys of dental trauma have been carried out. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence and pattern of dental emergencies resulting from traumatic injuries, as well as treatment provided to children presenting with these dental emergencies. Over a 1-year period, 620 children presented to our pediatric dental clinics with dental emergencies; 195 (31%) of these emergencies were a consequence of dental trauma to 287 teeth and were included in the study. The average time between the trauma and the dental emergency was 5 months. Pain or sensitivity was the most frequent presenting symptom (31.3%) followed by swelling or sinus tract (17.4%). The age of these patients ranged from 15 months to 14 years, with an average age of 9.3 years. Males accounted for 75.4% of the children in the samples, whereas females accounted for only 24.6%. The main cause of dental trauma was falling during play (58.5%); the least common cause was motor vehicle accidents, accounting for only 1.5% of all injuries. Most of the dental injuries occurred at home (41.5%), around noon time. The most commonly involved teeth were permanent maxillary central incisors accounting for 79.5% of all teeth involved by dental trauma. The most frequently encountered type of trauma in this sample was crown fracture seen in 76.6% of the teeth . Soft tissue injuries were estimated to occur in 16.9% of the children. The treatment received by the children in the sample ranged from no active treatment (6.2%) to elaborate dental procedures such as pulp therapy (41.3%) and prosthetic replacement of missing teeth (5.1%). [source] Orthopaedic patients' experience of motor vehicle accident in SingaporeINTERNATIONAL NURSING REVIEW, Issue 1 2008K.L. Tan mn (ortho nrsg) Aim:, The purpose of this paper is to present a study that explored the experiences of orthopaedic patients injured in motor vehicle accidents (MVAs), from the time of the accident until 6 months after being discharged from hospital. Background:, Trauma injuries from MVAs are increasing, with the number of deaths from such injuries continuing to rise. Victims often sustain open fractures to more than one part of their body and need rehabilitation and support to adjust to long-term chronic or permanent disability. In the last decade, research pertaining to trauma nursing has concentrated on neurologically injured patients. Although there is a paucity of research on the nursing perspective of psychological care for non-neurologically injured patients, the majority of studies located were mainly quantitative in nature and did not analyse the personal experiences of orthopaedic patients. Method:, A qualitative naturalistic inquiry approach was used, which provided a first-hand account of the traumatic MVA event experienced by six orthopaedic participants in Singapore. Data were collected from face-to-face in-depth interviews. Participants were voluntarily recruited through purposeful sampling and ,snowballing'. Interviews were audiotaped and transcribed verbatim in preparation for analysis. Findings:, The analysis of information explicated four main themes: the experience of the event, the effect of hospitalization, surviving the event and self-transformation. Conclusion:, The study provided an understanding of orthopaedic patients' experience of MVA in Singapore. The findings of the study have the potential to contribute to the limited qualitative research available concerning victims' experiences of MVAs and nurses caring for MVA victims. [source] Mandibular kinematics associated with simulated low-velocity rear-end impactsJOURNAL OF ORAL REHABILITATION, Issue 8 2006I. A. HERNÁNDEZ summary, Rear-end-impact motor vehicle accidents may result in cervical and temporomandibular-related pain complaints. Head kimematics in simulated low-impact rear-end impacts have been investigated but mandibular kinematics have not been described. Thirty healthy adult subjects underwent three impacts (4·5 m s,2 expected, 10·0 m s,2 unexpected, and 10·0 m s,2 expected). Onset time and peak magnitude of angular head acceleration, angular mandibular acceleration and angular mandibular displacement were measured. Significant mandibular opening acceleration was not identified with rearward head rotation. The peak magnitude of mandibular closing angular acceleration approximately doubled with increased impact magnitude. No differences in peak angular mandibular acceleration regarding expectation were identified. Gender differences were detected in the fast unexpected impact. The peak time for the angular mandibular acceleration (mandibular closure) was approximately 84,120 ms later than peak rearward angular head acceleration for all impacts. Onset and peak times for angular mandibular acceleration (mandibular closure) were similar to the onset and peak times for forward head acceleration. There was also a positive correlation between the magnitude of the forward angular acceleration of the head and angular acceleration of the mandible for the slow (0·65, P = 0·015) and fast expected (0·844, P = 0·001) impacts. The average angular mandibular angular displacement (mandibular closure) was approximately 6°. The hyperextension hypothesis regarding mechanism of temporomandibular joint injury in low-impact rear-end collisions cannot be supported. [source] Age of Drinking Onset and Injuries, Motor Vehicle Crashes, and Physical Fights After Drinking and When Not DrinkingALCOHOLISM, Issue 5 2009Ralph W. Hingson Background:, Earlier age of drinking onset has been associated with greater odds of involvement in motor vehicle crashes, unintentional injuries, and physical fights after drinking. This study explores whether early drinkers take more risks even when sober by comparing potential associations between age of drinking onset and these outcomes after drinking relative to when respondents have not been drinking. Method:, From a national sample, 4,021 ever-drinkers ages 18 to 39 were asked age of drinking onset, not counting tastes or sips. They were also asked if they were ever in motor vehicle crashes, unintentionally injured, or in physical fights after drinking and when not drinking. GEE logistic regression models for repeated measures dichotomous outcomes compared whether odds ratios between age of onset and these adverse outcomes significantly differed when they occurred after drinking versus when not drinking, controlling for respondents' demographic characteristics, cigarette and marijuana use, family history of alcoholism, ever experiencing alcohol dependence, and frequency of binge drinking. Results:, Compared with persons who started drinking at age 21+, those who started at ages <14, 14 to 15, 16 to 17, and 18 to 20 had, after drinking, respectively greater odds: 6.3 (2.6, 15.3), 5.2 (2.2, 12.3), 3.3 (1.5, 7.3), and 2.2 (0.9, 5.1) of having been in a motor vehicle crash; 6.0 (3.4, 10.5), 4.9 (3.0, 8.6), 3.7 (2.4, 5.6), and 1.9 (1.2, 2.9) of ever being in a fight; and 4.6 (2.4, 8.7), 4.7 (2.6, 8.6), 3.2 (1.9, 5.6), and 2.3 (1.3, 4.0) of ever being accidentally injured. The odds of experiencing motor vehicle accidents or injuries when not drinking were not significantly elevated among early onset drinkers. The odds of earlier onset drinkers being in fights were also significantly greater when respondents had been drinking than not drinking. Conclusion:, Starting to drink at an earlier age is associated with greater odds of experiencing motor vehicle crash involvement, unintentional injuries, and physical fights when respondents were drinking, but less so when respondents had not been drinking. These findings reinforce the need for programs and policies to delay drinking onset. [source] Diagnosis and management of geriatric insomnia: A guide for nurse practitionersJOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF NURSE PRACTITIONERS, Issue 12 2008MN (Nurse Practitioner), Preetha Krishnan RN Abstract Purpose: To discuss the assessment, diagnosis, and management of geriatric insomnia, a challenging clinical condition of older adults frequently seen by primary care providers. Data sources: Extensive literature review of the published research articles and textbooks. Conclusions: Complaints of insomnia among older adults are frequently ignored, considered a part of the normal aging process or viewed as a difficult to treat condition. Geriatric insomnia remains a challenge for primary care providers because of the lack of evidence-based clinical guidelines and limited treatment options available. Effective management of this condition is necessary for improved quality of life, which is a primary issue for the elderly and their families. Therefore, geriatric insomnia warrants thorough attention from the nurse practitioners (NPs) who provide care for older adults. Implications for practice: Undiagnosed or under treated insomnia can cause increased risk for falls, motor vehicle accidents, depression, and shorter survival. Insomniacs double their risk for cardiovascular disease, stroke, cancer, and suicide compared to their counterparts. Insomnia is also associated with increased healthcare utilization and institutionalization. NPs could play a central role in reducing the negative consequences of insomnia through a systematic approach for diagnosis, evaluation, and management. [source] Posttraumatic stress after a motor vehicle accident: A six-month follow-up study utilizing latent growth modelingJOURNAL OF TRAUMATIC STRESS, Issue 6 2006Kitty K. Wu Features of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) for 596 survivors of motor vehicle accidents were examined by self-report measures at 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months after the motor vehicle accident (MVA). Latent growth modeling was utilized to study the trend and predictors of the level of distress. Results indicated that 5,20% of the participants reported to have a significant level of posttraumatic stress in one, two, or three of the PTSD symptom clusters within the period studied. Survivors with significant acute stress 1 week after the MVA had a higher risk for developing chronic posttraumatic stress. Although the severity of intrusive and hyperarousal symptoms decreased over time, the severity of avoidance symptoms remained unchanged. Factors predicting the course of PTSD after an MVA are identified. [source] A preliminary examination of treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder in chronic pain patients: A case studyJOURNAL OF TRAUMATIC STRESS, Issue 5 2003Jillian C. Shipherd Abstract Manualized treatments have become popular, despite concern about their use when comorbid diagnoses are present. In this report, the efficacy of manualized posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) treatment was examined in the presence of chronic pain. Additionally, the effect of PTSD treatment on chronic pain and additional psychiatric diagnoses was explored. Six female patients with both PTSD and chronic pain following motor vehicle accidents were treated for PTSD using a multiple baseline design. The results indicate that manualized treatment for PTSD was effective in reducing PTSD symptoms in these patients. Although there were no changes in subjective pain, there were pain-related functional improvements and reductions in other psychiatric diagnoses for the majority of patients. [source] Traumatic brain injury in the United States: an epidemiologic overviewMOUNT SINAI JOURNAL OF MEDICINE: A JOURNAL OF PERSONALIZED AND TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE, Issue 2 2009Carl R. Summers PhD Abstract A basic description of severity and frequency is needed for planning healthcare delivery for any disease process. In the case of traumatic brain injury, severity is typically categorized into mild, moderate, and severe with information from a combination of clinical observation and self-report methodologies. Recent US civilian epidemiological findings measuring the frequency of mortality and morbidity of traumatic brain injury are presented, including demographic and etiological breakdowns of the data. Falls, motor vehicle accidents, and being struck by objects are the major etiologies of traumatic brain injury. US civilian and Army hospitalization trends are discussed and compared. Features of traumatic brain injuries from Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom are discussed. Mt Sinai J Med 76:105,110, 2009. © 2009 Mount Sinai School of Medicine [source] Prevention of Smoking Behaviors in Middle School Students: Student Nurse InterventionsPUBLIC HEALTH NURSING, Issue 2 2001Marilyn P. Miller Ph.D. This article examines the use of the Tar Wars curriculum with the public health problem of preteen smoking and outlines interventions with a middle school population by community health student nurses from a state university. Smoking is the single most preventable cause of death and disability. Three million people die worldwide each year as a result of smoking. Cigarette smoking has now been labeled a pediatric disease. Estimates are that 3,000 children will begin a lifelong addiction to cigarettes every day. They will face a life of poor quality based on the medical consequences of smoking cigarettes. Mortality from tobacco use is annually greater than that from drug abuse, AIDS, suicide, homicide, and motor vehicle accidents combined. Preteen and teenage smoking is now a public health problem, therefore implications for service learning, nursing advocacy, and interventions with this health problem are discussed. [source] BLUNT CHEST TRAUMA IN CHILDHOODANZ JOURNAL OF SURGERY, Issue 8 2007Mustafa Inan Background: Although thoracic injuries are uncommon in children, their rate of morbidity and mortality is high. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical features of children with blunt chest injury and to investigate the predictive accuracy of their paediatric trauma scores (PTS). Methods: Between September 1996 and September 2006, children with blunt thoracic trauma were evaluated retrospectively. Clinical features and PTS of the patients were recorded. Results: There were 27 male and 17 female patients. The mean age was 7.1 ± 3.4 years, and the mean PTS was 7.6 ± 2.4. Nineteen cases were injuries caused by motor vehicle/pedestrian accidents, 11 motor vehicle accidents, 8 falls and 6 motor vehicle/bicycle or motorbike accidents. The following were noted: 28 pulmonary contusions, 12 pneumothoraxes, 10 haemothoraxes, 9 rib fractures, 7 haemopneumothoraxes, 5 clavicle fractures and 2 flail chests, 1 diaphragmatic rupture and 1 pneumatocele case. The cut-off value of PTS to discriminate mortality was found to be ,4, at which point sensitivity was 75.0% and specificity was 92.5%. Twenty-seven patients were treated non-operatively, 17 were treated with a tube thoracostomy and two were treated with a thoracotomy. Four patients who suffered head and abdominal injuries died (9.09%). Conclusion: Thoracic injuries in children expose a high mortality rate as a consequence of head or abdominal injuries. PTS may be helpful to identify mortality in children with blunt chest trauma. Blunt thoracic injuries in children can be treated with a non-operative approach and a tube thoracostomy. [source] COST, DEMOGRAPHICS AND INJURY PROFILE OF ADULT PEDESTRIAN TRAUMA IN INNER SYDNEYANZ JOURNAL OF SURGERY, Issue 1-2 2006Timothy J. Small Background: Pedestrian accidents are associated with substantial morbidity, mortality and cost; however, there has been very little published work on this topic in Australasia over recent years. The objective of this study was to examine the demographics, injury profile, outcomes and cost of pedestrian versus motor vehicle accidents in a central city hospital in Sydney. Methods: Consecutive pedestrians injured by motor vehicles and admitted as inpatients during the years 2002,2004 were identified from our prospective trauma registry. A retrospective review included patient profiles (age, sex, time of injury and blood alcohol), injury pattern, cost, morbidity and mortality. Results: A total of 180 patients (64% men and 36% women) with a mean age of 46 and mean injury severity score of 14.1 were identified. Two peak injury periods were observed: one between 17.00 and 18.00 hours (P < 0.01) and the other between 20.00 and 22.00 hours (P < 0.01). Significantly more injuries occurred on Friday (P < 0.01) and during autumn months (P < 0.05). Musculoskeletal (34.3%), head (31.8%) and external (20.2%) injuries predominated. Forty-nine per cent of patients tested positive for consuming alcohol, with an average blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.22%. Alcohol consumption was associated with a worse outcome in terms of hospital and intensive care unit stay, morbidity and mortality. The average length of stay was 13.4 days costing $A16320 per admission. Sixteen patients died (mortality rate of 8.9%), with the highest rate in the elderly group (22.7%) (P < 0.001). Conclusions: Pedestrian accidents in inner Sydney are common with injuries predominating in intoxicated adult males. Mortality was higher in the elderly group. Injuries to the head and lower extremities predominate. Hospital stays are lengthy, resulting in a high cost for each admission. [source] Self-Efficacy Mediates Effects of Exposure, Loss of Resources, and Life Stress on Posttraumatic Distress among Trauma SurvivorsAPPLIED PSYCHOLOGY: HEALTH AND WELL-BEING, Issue 1 2009Aleksandra Luszczynska Trauma exposure, loss of resources, and stressful life events are usually listed among key predictors of posttraumatic adaptation. Our studies investigated if self-efficacy (i.e. beliefs about ability to deal with posttraumatic adversities) mediates the relationships between these peri- and post-traumatic risk factors and mental health. Study 1 investigated these relationships among 50 Hurricane Katrina survivors infected with HIV. Specifically, it was hypothesised that the effects of exposure and loss of resources (measured 1 year after the disaster) on posttraumatic symptoms and general distress (measured 2 years after disaster) would be mediated by self-efficacy (assessed 1 year after trauma). Study 2, enrolling 70 survivors of motor vehicle accidents, tested the mediating effect of self-efficacy in the relationship between stressful life events (reported at approximately 7 days after the trauma) and PTSD symptom severity and number (measured 90 days later). Results of both studies confirmed the mediating effects of beliefs about the ability to deal with posttraumatic adversities, whereas the direct effects of trauma exposure, number of stressors, and losses on mental health were negligible. Our findings indicate that although self-efficacy beliefs are affected by trauma and stressful life events (in particular, balance of negative and positive events), they should facilitate posttraumatic adaptation. [source] Centrifugal Pump Support for Distal Aortic Perfusion During Repair of Traumatic Thoracic Aortic InjuryARTIFICIAL ORGANS, Issue 11 2002Joseph T. Walls Abstract: Paraplegia from ischemic injury of the spinal cord and renal failure from inadequate perfusion of the kidneys may occur from aortic cross-clamping during repair of traumatic thoracic aortic injuries. After Institutional Review Board approval, we retrospectively reviewed the charts of 26 patients surgically treated for traumatic transection of the descending thoracic aorta during a 14 year period (1987,2001), using centrifugal pump (Sarns) support for distal aortic perfusion. The study group comprised 19 males and 7 females, whose ages ranged from 15 to 69 years. For all but 1 patient, who fell from a flagpole, the injuries were incurred in motor vehicle accidents. Aortic cross-clamp time lasted between 5 to 78 min (median = 40 min). Mean arterial pressure ranged from 50 to 80 mm Hg (median = 70 mm Hg). All patients survived operation without developing paraplegia or renal failure. Distal centrifugal pump perfusion during repair of traumatic injury of the descending thoracic aorta is a valuable adjunct during surgical treatment and aids in preservation of spinal cord and renal function. [source] |