Cause Of Fatal Injuries Research Articles

Fatal occupational injuries in Jordan during the period 1980 through 1993

All fatal occupational injuries compensated by the Social Security Corporation (SSC) in Jordan during the period 1980–1993 were studied. Variables considered in the analysis included gender, age, nationality, occupation, salary, cause of injury, body part injured and cause of death. The overall fatality rate, of the 705 cases reviewed, was 25.5/100,000/year. The majority (98%) of fatalities were males. The risk of fatal injuries increased with age. Workers over 55 years, had the highest annual fatality rate (37.8). Immigrant workers had a higher fatality rate (32.26) than Jordanians (23.95). Unskilled workers constituted 58.3% of decedents and professionals had the highest fatality rate (52.9). Transportation sector had the highest fatality rate (122.4) followed by construction (50.6). Over the study period, fatality rates tended to decrease significantly in manufacturing, construction and trade economic sectors while no such trend was established by transportation, agriculture and services sectors. The leading causes of fatal injuries were motor-vehicle related accidents (63.0%) and fall of persons (11.1%). Head was the body part most injured and was involved in 46.6% of all deaths. Haemorrhage was the main reported cause of death (24.5%). It is concluded that intervention measures targeting specific occupations (transportation and construction) and causes of fatalities such as motor-vehicle incidents are needed.

Firearm violence and public health. Limiting the availability of guns

FIREARM violence has reached epidemic proportions in this country and is now a public health emergency, accounting for one fifth of all injury deaths in the United States and second only to motor vehicles as a cause of fatal injury. 1 In addition, for every fatal injury, an estimated seven nonfatal injuries occur. 2 Further, firearm-related injuries imposed an estimated $19 billion economic burden on the United States in 1990 in addition to the direct health care costs. 3 If firearm violence continues to increase, it is expected that by the year 2003, the number of deaths from firearms will surpass the number of deaths caused by motor vehicles, and firearms will become this country's leading cause of injury-related death. 4 The burden of firearm violence is borne to a considerable degree by our country's most vulnerable population—its young people. Homicide is the leading cause of death for young black

Firearm Violence and Public Health

FIREARM violence has reached epidemic proportions in this country and is now a public health emergency, accounting for one fifth of all injury deaths in the United States and second only to motor vehicles as a cause of fatal injury.¹In addition, for every fatal injury, an estimated seven nonfatal injuries occur.²Further, firearm-related injuries imposed an estimated $19 billion economic burden on the United States in 1990 in addition to the direct health care costs.³If firearm violence continues to increase, it is expected that by the year 2003, the number of deaths from firearms will surpass the number of deaths caused by motor vehicles, and firearms will become this country's leading cause of injury-related death.⁴ The burden of firearm violence is borne to a considerable degree by our country's most vulnerable population—its young people. Homicide is the leading cause of death for young black

Preventing Firearm Injuries: A Review of Epidemiologic Research

Firearms are second only to motor vehicles as a cause of fatal injury in the United States. Approximately 59% of suicides and 61% of homicides involve firearms. Handguns comprise less than one third of all firearms in private hands in the United States, but they kill more Americans each year than all types of shotguns and rifles combined. Several analyses strongly suggest a link between readily available firearms and rates of violent death; two case-control studies strongly suggest that keeping a gun in the home is associated with an increased risk of suicide. Potential strategies to prevent firearm injuries include banning or restricting the supply of particularly dangerous firearms, educating the public about the risks of keeping a gun in the home, modifying existing firearm designs to make them more resistant to unauthorized use of unintentional discharge, altering weapons or ammunition to limit wound severity, and using bulletproof barriers more widely. Given adequate knowledge and the will to act, many firearm-related deaths and injuries can be prevented.

Head and face injuries in bicyclists--with special reference to possible effects of helmet use.

Fatal and nonfatal head and face injuries to unhelmeted bicyclists were analyzed to assess the injury-reducing potential of bicycle helmet use. Of the fatally injured, 64% (median age, 55 years) had fatal head and face injuries compared with 38% (median age, 18 years) with head and face injuries in the nonfatal injury group. The fatally injured often had multiple impact points, mostly to the occipital and temporal regions. Brain contusions, most often to the frontal and temporal lobes, were the most common cause of fatal injury, followed by subdural hematomas. In the nonfatal injury group abrasions/lacerations were most common type of injury, followed by cerebral concussions/contusions and superficial contusions. If all types of injuries to bicyclists are taken into account a helmet might have had an injury-reducing effect in two of every five fatal cases and in one of every five nonfatal cases. To increase the helmet use among bicyclists, a law, as in Australia, would be an excellent instrument.

Female Workplace Homicides

1. Between 1980 and 1985, murder on the job was the leading cause of fatal injuries for women compared to being the third leading cause for men. The annual female homicide rate per 100,000 women ranged from 0.05 to 0.7. 2. Risk factors that were identified included age 65 and over, black, and work involving the exchange of money. The primary cause of death was gunshot wounds. 3. Suggested prevention strategies were environmental controls, training, policy, and research. 4. Occupational health nurses need to recognize homicide as an occupational hazard, determine high risk employees and situations, and implement programs to reduce violence related stress.