Journal of public health
-
Journal of public health · Mar 2005
ReviewRestricting paracetamol in the United Kingdom to reduce poisoning: a systematic review.
Paracetamol poisoning is implicated in about 150-200 poisoning deaths per year in England and Wales. We review previous studies assessing the effectiveness of regulations introduced in 1998 to restrict sales of paracetamol and reduce paracetamol poisoning. ⋯ The limitations of these studies makes it difficult to draw firm conclusions. They do, however, suggest that the 1998 regulations may have been associated with reduced admissions to liver units and liver transplants, reduced hospital attendance due to paracetamol poisoning and reduced sales of paracetamol. Further research is needed to fully evaluate the impact of the 1998 regulations. In the future, formal evaluation of the impact of similar interventions should be an integral part of policy formation.
-
Journal of public health · Mar 2005
Comparative StudyImpact of paracetamol pack size restrictions on poisoning from paracetamol in England and Wales: an observational study.
About 500 drug poisoning deaths involving paracetamol (acetaminophen) occur every year in England and Wales. To reduce the number of deaths, regulations were introduced in 1998 to restrict the sale of paracetamol. In this paper, we evaluate the impact of these regulations. ⋯ Between 1993 and 2002, mortality rates and hospital admissions due to paracetamol poisoning declined. However, the contribution of the 1998 regulations to this decline is not clear. Paracetamol poisoning continues to be an important public health issue in England and Wales and represents significant workload for the NHS in England.
-
Journal of public health · Mar 2005
High rates of primary care and emergency department use among injection drug users in Vancouver.
Frequent use of emergency rooms by injection drug users (IDUs) has been attributed to a lack of access to primary care and barriers to health services. Using a community-based sample of IDUs, we examined rates of primary care and emergency room use among IDUs and identified correlates of frequent emergency department use. ⋯ high rates of ER use were observed among IDUs, despite high rates of primary care use among this same population. ER use was due primarily to preventable injection-related complications that are less amenable to primary care interventions, and therefore educational and prevention efforts that encourage and enable sterile injection practices should be promoted.
-
Prior to the introduction of legislation in the United Kingdom, observational road-side studies showed that approximately 2 per cent of drivers use a mobile phone while driving. We studied the change in the usage rate of hand-held mobile phones from 10 weeks before to 10 weeks after the legislation came into force in December 2003. ⋯ This change is attributed to the legislation. The effect of the legislation on accident and injury rates is unknown.
-
Journal of public health · Mar 2005
Case ReportsTetanus in an unvaccinated child in the United Kingdom: case report.
Tetanus is a serious infectious disease that is associated with high morbidity and mortality. It is uncommon in developed countries like the United Kingdom due to widespread immunization. ⋯ He presented with trismus and muscle spasms needing ventilation in Paediatric Intensive Care for 3 weeks. The case highlights the importance of vaccinating newly arrived children.