2009 Theme Issue on Violence and Human Rights—Call for Papers

Abstract

TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY (TBI) IS AMONG THE MOST SEvere outcomes associated with violence. In the United States, TBI is a contributing factor to 30.5% of all injury-related deaths. The fourth leading cause of TBI (after falls, “struck by/against,” and motor vehicle crashes) is assault, which accounted for 15 341 hospitalizations and 5813 deaths in the years 2002 through 2006. In this issue of JAMA, Zafonte et al report the results of a randomized trial of citicoline, a widely used pharmacotherapy for the treatment of patients with TBI. In this trial, 9.3% of the study participants were injured in assaults. Zafonte et al found that citicoline treatment did not result in improvement of cognitive or functional status, and as acknowledged in an accompanying editorial by Ruff and Riechers, there are no specific, evidence-based therapies for patients with complicated mild or moderate TBI resulting from assault or any other mechanism. Randomized trials of interventions for the treatment and rehabilitation of patients with TBI are clearly needed, even if the interventions turn out to be ineffective. The value of “negative” studies is to expose critical gaps in knowledge and redirect attention to promising alternatives. To further promote the scientific evaluation of promising interventions for the causes of violence and human rights abuses and the clinical management of their related health effects, including TBI, we invite manuscripts for another JAMA theme issue on violence and human rights, to be published on August 7, 2013. Authors may submit manuscripts addressing any topic related to violence, war, civil conflict, or human rights abuses. Randomized controlled trials of preventive, therapeutic, or rehabilitative interventions are of primary interest, but we will also consider reports of observational studies and systematic reviews that address new and important findings in the fields of violence and human rights, as well as scholarly Viewpoints. Manuscripts received by March 15, 2013, will have the best chance of consideration for publication in this theme issue. Submitted manuscripts will undergo JAMA’s usual rigorous editorial evaluation and peer review. Please follow JAMA’s instructions for authors for manuscript preparation and submission. We look forward to receiving manuscripts and inquiries about prospective articles for this theme issue.