Injury Prevention Work Research Articles

STISS—the Styrian injury surveillance system- a hospital database on injuries to support safe community work

BackgroundA vital condition for the recommendation of rules for efficient accident prevention is an exact analysis of the circumstances in order to be able to identify the parameters involved. Only...

NCIPC's contribution to global injury and violence prevention: Past, present, and future

Injuries and violence impact millions across the globe each year. For the past 20years, the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (NCIPC) at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has assembled the largest cadre of injury and violence prevention experts in the world to reduce the burden of injuries and violence domestically and to inform global injury and violence prevention efforts. This article focuses on NCIPC's global injury and violence prevention work that involves: increasing awareness of the preventability of injury and violence, partnerships to promote injury research and best practices; establishing standards and guidance for data collection; building capacity through training and mentoring; and supporting evidence-based strategies. To decrease the global burden, the authors propose priority setting to maximize the development and sustainability of financial and human resources for injury and violence prevention. Impact on Industry: The authors call for increased capacity and resources for global injury and violence prevention.

Motala Municipality – a sustainable Safe Community in Sweden

An extensive research project concerning injury prevention was planned and initiated in Motala Municipality in the early 1980s. This article summarises 25 years of work for injury prevention and safety promotion in Motala. Evaluation of both process and effect were conducted based on a quasi-experimental study design, as well as cost-effectiveness and cost-benefit analyses of interventions. Initial evaluations results showed an annual incidence of injuries of 118.9/1000 citizens in 1983/1984 consisting of injuries at home (35%), sports injuries (18.9%), injuries at work (13.7%), traffic-related injuries (12.8%) and other injuries (19.5%). The annual social economic costs of injuries were estimated at 116 million Swedish crowns (SEK). By 1989, after two years of preventive work, the incidence of injuries was reduced by 13%. The greatest decrease was among the moderate severity category of injuries (41%). The social economic costs were thereby reduced by 21 million SEK per year. Since then, work with injury prevention has continued and annual evaluations have shown that the incidence of injuries, with some fluctuation, has continued to decrease up to the latest evaluation in 2008. The total decrease during the study period was 37%. This study shows that community-based injury prevention work according to the Safe Community model is a successful and cost-effective way of reducing injuries in the local community.

Assessing injury emergency response of village health workers and volunteers in five provinces in Vietnam

In Vietnam, road traffic injury is the leading cause of injuries with about 12 000 death cases per year. The prehospital care is still a new issue in the injury...

Injury Prevention News (IPN): a free e-newsletter for the UK and Ireland

Injury Prevention News (IPN) is a free electronic newsletter produced jointly by the Injury Observatory for Britain and Ireland (IOBI; http://www.injuryobservatory.net) and the Collaboration for Accident Prevention and Injury Control...

Effectiveness of Work Injury Prevention Education and Safety Training by an Occupational Therapist

Limiting or eliminating work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSDs) is a goal of many employers. Understanding risk factors associated with WRMSDs assists workers in avoiding these factors. The purposes of this study were to determine employees' awareness of risk factors of WRMSDs and their knowledge for avoiding such risks and to evaluate the effectiveness of injury prevention of WRMSD education by an occupational therapist. Sixty-one employees (both supervisors and employees) at a university animal research laboratory participated. They were given a pre-test survey before the injury prevention education. They were next provided with an hour's training and then given a post-test survey. There was statistical significance with four of the five items on the test instrument when comparing the pre-test and the post-test results. This demonstrates knowledge gained from the training. The conclusion supported injury prevention training from an occupational therapist on risk factors associated with WRMSDs and employers should consider such training.

An ecological study of regional variation in work injuries among young workers.

BackgroundThe investigation of geographic variation in occupational injuries has received little attention. Young workers 15 to 24 years are of particular concern because they consistently show elevated occupational injury rates compared to older workers. The present study sought to: (a) to describe the geographic variation of work injuries; (b) to determine whether geographic variation remained after controlling for relevant demographic and job characteristics; (c) to identify the region-level factors that correlate with the geographic variation.MethodsUsing workers compensation claims and census data, we estimated claim rates per 100 full-time equivalents for 15 to 24 year olds in 46 regions in Ontario. A total of 21 region-level indicators were derived primarily from Census and Labour Force Survey data to reflect social and material deprivation of the region as well as demographic and employment characteristics of youth living in those areas.ResultsDescriptive findings showed substantial geographic variation in young worker injury rates, even after controlling for several job and demographic variables. Region-level characteristics such as greater residential stability were associated with low work injury rates. Also, regions with the lowest claim rates tended to have proportionally fewer cuts and burns than high-claim-rate regions.ConclusionThe finding of substantial geographic variation in youth claim rates even after controlling for demographic and job factors can aid in targeting prevention resource. The association between region-level indicators such as residential stability and youth work injury suggests that work injury prevention strategies can be integrated with other local economic development measures. The findings partially support the notion that work safety measures may be unevenly distributed with respect to regional socio-economic factors.

Pediatricians’ involvement in gun injury prevention

Background: Injuries from small arms are of concern internationally. The health perspective is an emerging aspect of international work to reduce these injuries. This aspect has been evident in US...

Childhood injury prevention: The views of health visitors and nursery nurses working in deprived areas

Aim The aim of this study was to ascertain the views of health visitors and nursery nurses about childhood injury prevention in deprived areas. Method A survey was carried out amongst 51 health visitors and 7 nursery nurses attached to practices (n=47) from deprived areas who participated in a large injury prevention randomised controlled trial. Results The response rate was 97%. The most commonly cited barrier to injury prevention work in deprived areas was finance/cost to families and this was mentioned by 59% (n=32) of the respondents. Parental attitudes and understanding was considered to be important for nearly half (48%, n = 26) the respondents. Their views about what actions could be initiated at national and local levels to improve injury prevention work in deprived areas are described. At a national level 52% (n=27) of respondents suggested public awareness should be raised, and 14 (25%) of these mentioned using television for this purpose. Approximately one-third (32%, n=17) commented that at a local level, parental awareness should be raised in as many places as possible. Conclusions Health visitors and nursery nurses who responded appear to focus on child injury prevention at the micro level rather than at a broader public health level. In addition, many commented on barriers or constraints placed upon them. Further support will be needed if they are to develop a family centred public health approach.

Interaction between Trunk and Wrist Kinetics and Kinematics during a Simulated Pruning Task

Winegrape vine pruning require repetitive gripping and awkward body postures. The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of cutting height and forearm posture on trunk and wrist posture, force production, and muscle activities during simulated vine pruning. Ten healthy subjects (3 female and 7 male) participated in the study. Subjects cut dowels simulating shoots with pruning shears at 5 cutting heights tailored to subject anthropometry at three forearm postures. Trunk and wrist kinematics, force exertion, and forearm EMG were monitored. The results showed significant change in force exertion; and trunk and wrist kinematics in stature and knee cutting heights. The information from this study could assist in ergonomic trellis design, injury prevention, and manual labor work guidelines.

The Risk Line: A special telephone line to provide means of reporting potential dangers and to increase public participation

Injuries constitute a significant public health problem. There is a risk of injury in any environment in which persons are present. The purpose of this paper is to describe the development and experiences from the Risk Line. The Risk Line is a special telephone number to provide means of reporting potential risks for injuries and dangerous products and to increase public participation in injury reporting. Various strategies have been used to make the Risk Line well known in the population. Weekly reports on the risk of playground, traffic, recreational, and residential injuries and dangerous products have been distributed to those who are responsible for eliminating these hazards. The major risk environments reported were traffic, recreational, residential environments, and playgrounds. Seventy-seven percent of the reported hazards had been eliminated. A majority of the public (72%) who had phoned the Risk Line stated that they had become more observant and aware of risks for injuries. In conjunction with injury statistics and safety inspections, information from the Risk Line can contribute to give an improved overall picture of where priorities are needed in safety promotion and injury prevention work.

A National Program for Injury Prevention in Children and Adolescents: The Injury Free Coalition for Kids

Injury is the leading cause of death and a major source of preventable disability in children. Mechanisms of injury are rooted in a complex web of social, economic, environmental, criminal, and behavioral factors that necessitate a multifaceted, systematic injury prevention approach. This article describes the injury burden and the way physicians, community coalitions, and a private foundation teamed to impact the problem first in an urban minority community and then through a national program. Through our injury prevention work in a resource-limited neighborhood, a national model evolved that provides a systematic framework through which education and other interventions are implemented. Interventions are aimed at changing the community and home environments physically (safe play areas and elimination of community and home hazards) and socially (education and supervised extracurricular activities with mentors). This program, based on physician-community partnerships and private foundation financial support, expanded to 40 sites in 37 cities, representing all 10 US trauma regions. Each site is a local adaptation of the Injury Free Coalition model also referred to as the ABC's of injury prevention: A, "analyze injury data through local injury surveillance"; B, "build a local coalition"; C, "communicate the problem and raise awareness that injuries are a preventable public health problem"; D, "develop interventions and injury prevention activities to create safer environments and activities for children"; and E, "evaluate the interventions with ongoing surveillance." It is feasible to develop a comprehensive injury prevention program of national scope using a voluntary coalition of trauma centers, private foundation financial and technical support, and a local injury prevention model with a well-established record of reducing and sustaining lower injury rates for inner-city children and adolescents.

How low can they go? Potential for reduction in work injury rates

Background: There is a considerable variability in occupational injury rates across companies, even within the same industry. The aim of this study was to estimate how many injuries could be...

Bridging the gap: Bringing together intentional and unintentional injury prevention efforts to improve health and well being

Problem: Intentional and unintentional injury prevention efforts have traditionally been independent and non-integrated. Fostering collaboration between the sub-fields would enhance work within both sub-fields and advance injury prevention work as a whole. Method: A systematic assessment of similarities and differences between the sub-fields was performed, including an examination of relevant definitions and norms, research methods and findings, key risk and resiliency factors, and prevention strategies that would promote collaboration and better advance current prevention efforts. Results/Summary: Several areas exist in which injury prevention efforts could be coordinated or ideas and practices could be cross-applied, including training of practitioners, data collection and analysis, application of tools and methodologies, examination of risk and resiliency factors, and identification of funding sources and partners. Impact on Industry: This paper delineates how intentional and unintentional injury prevention practitioners can more effectively collaborate to promote safer environments and further reduce incidence of injury. An integrated injury prevention approach could significantly impact the underlying contributors to both types of injury, allowing practitioners within both sub-fields to achieve greater outcomes through increased credibility, reduced duplication of efforts, more efficient use of resources, and unified injury prevention messages.

Injuries in the military: A review and commentary focused on prevention

Background: In November 1996, the Armed Forces Epidemiological Board (AFEB) Injury Prevention and Control Work Group issued a report that cited injuries as the leading cause of morbidity and mortality among military service members. This article reviews the types and categories of military morbidity and mortality data examined by the AFEB work group and the companion Department of Defense (DoD) Injury Surveillance and Prevention Work Group. This article further uses the injury data reviewed to illustrate the role of surveillance and research in injury prevention. The review provides the context for discussion of the implications of the AFEB work group’s findings for the prevention of injuries in the military. Methods: The AFEB work group consisted of 11 civilian injury epidemiologists, health professionals and scientists from academia, and other non-DoD government agencies, plus six military liaison officers. Injury data from medical databases were provided to the civilian experts on the AFEB work group by the all-military DoD Injury Surveillance and Prevention Work Group. The AFEB work group assessed the value of each database to the process of prevention and made recommendations for improvement and use of each data source. Results: Both work groups found that injuries were the single leading cause of deaths, disabilities, hospitalizations, outpatient visits, and manpower losses among military service members. They also identified numerous data sources useful for determining the causes and risk factors for injuries. Those data sources indicate that training injuries, sports, falls, and motor vehicle crashes are among the most important causes of morbidity for military personnel. Conclusions: While the work group recommends ways to prevent injuries, they felt the top priority for injury prevention must be the formation of a comprehensive medical surveillance system. Data from this surveillance system must be used routinely to prioritize and monitor injury and disease prevention and research programs. The success of injury prevention will depend not just on use of surveillance but also partnerships among the medical, surveillance, and safety agencies of the military services as well as the military commanders, other decision makers, and service members whose direct actions can prevent injuries and disease.

An Armed Forces Epidemiological Board evaluation of injuries in the military

In the early 1990s, there was a growing awareness that injuries were becoming a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the military services. In January 1994, the Armed Forces Epidemiological Board (AFEB) formed the Injury Prevention and Control Work Group in response to a request from the Office of The Army Surgeon General for guidance and recommendations on surveillance, prevention, and control of injuries in military populations. The board selected a panel of civilian physicians, epidemiologists, and other scientists to:

Chapter 9: Conclusions and Recommendations of the Dod Injury Surveillance and Prevention Work Group

Chapter 9: Conclusions and Recommendations of the Dod Injury Surveillance and Prevention Work Group

Chapter 9: Conclusions and Recommendations of the Dod Injury Surveillance and Prevention Work Group

Chapter 9: Conclusions and Recommendations of the Dod Injury Surveillance and Prevention Work Group

A review of the design of educational programs for upper extremity work injury prevention

In the absence of literature on upper extremity (UE) injury prevention programs, this study gathered data on educational programs currently available to enhance future programming. A telephone survey with written follow-up for verification and accuracy was used to collect descriptive data about the expected outcomes, educational content, program parameters and evaluation methods for UE injury prevention programs offered by nationally based companies. Six companies participated in the survey. Changes in employee behaviors and lifestyles were the most frequently expected outcomes. The educational content consistently contained information on anatomy and physiology and frequently contained risk factor information. Lectures were the primary form of presentation, with limited opportunity for practice or problem solving. Two-hour programs were typically offered on site for groups of 20-25 participants at charges ranging from $100 to $300 per hour. The inconsistencies in current programming and insufficient definition of efficacy measures provide little guidance on how UE prevention programs should be designed.

Assessing the Efficacy of Educational Programs for Musculoskeletal Work Injury Prevention

The efficacy of educational programming to reduce musculoskeletal work injury is poorly defined in the literature. This study investigated current programming offered by ten nationally based companies to determine evaluation methods, the parameters being measured, and measurement frequency. Using a telephone survey approach, researchers used open-ended questions to collect descriptive data from the respondents. Information was collated and categorized into four parameter groupings: descriptive, surveillance, educational program mechanics, and work practices and behavior. The parameters measured and the methods of data collection varied for each company surveyed. Overall, there was a profound lack of comparison of parameters measured over time. In particular, behavior, which has been identified as the key to continuous injury prevention, was not evaluated over time by any of the respondents. Even if current programming has incorporated good prevention strategies, their efficacy cannot be demonstrated without more clearly defined parameters and methods of data collection and analysis.