Injury prevention : journal of the International Society for Child and Adolescent Injury Prevention
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Multicenter Study
Unspecified falls among youth: predictors of coding specificity in the emergency department.
Deficiencies in emergency department (ED) charting is a common international problem. While unintentional falls account for the largest proportion of injury related ED visits by youth, insufficient charting details result in more than one third of these falls being coded as "unspecified". Non-specific coding compromises the utility of injury surveillance data. ⋯ Deficiencies in both chart documentation and coding specificity contribute to the use of non-specific E-codes. More comprehensive triage coding, improved chart documentation, and alternative methods of data collection in the acute care setting are required to improve ED injury surveillance initiatives.
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To estimate the incidence and direct medical costs for fatal and non-fatal fall injuries among US adults aged >or=65 years in 2000, for three treatment settings stratified by age, sex, body region, and type of injury. ⋯ Fall related injuries among older adults, especially among older women, are associated with substantial economic costs. Implementing effective intervention strategies could appreciably decrease the incidence and healthcare costs of these injuries.
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The World Bank believes that the car manufacturers can make a valuable contribution to road safety in poor countries and has established the Global Road Safety Partnership (GRSP) for this purpose. However, some commentators are sceptical. The authors examined road safety policy documents to assess the extent of any bias. ⋯ There are important differences in emphasis in road safety policy documents prepared by WHO and the GRSP. Vigilance is needed to ensure that the road safety interventions that the car industry supports are based on sound evidence of effectiveness.
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Standardized methodologies for assessing economic burden of injury at the national or international level do not exist. ⋯ These national burden estimates provide unequivocal evidence of the large health and financial burden of injuries. This study can serve as a template for other countries or be used in intercountry comparisons.
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Multicenter Study
The impact of driver distraction on road safety: results from a representative survey in two Australian states.
To quantify the prevalence and effects of distracting activities while driving. ⋯ Distracting activities while driving are common and can result in driving errors. Driver distraction is an important cause of crashes. Further research is needed to estimate the risk conferred by different distracting activities and the circumstances during which activities pose greatest risk. These results suggest that a strategy to minimize distracting activities while driving, with a focus on young drivers, is indicated.