Acciphilia on the road: An analysis of severe collisions

Introduction

Although prior studies of road traffic accidents have found between-group differences in risk, little attention has been given to the encounter between drivers involved in severe collisions.

Method

The present study empirically evaluates two different possible causes of "social accidents," which are defined as collisions between two or more drivers where some faulty social interaction might be assumed, and which are the most prevalent cause of road injuries. The analyses use merged Israeli collision records from 1983 to 2004 with data from two national censuses, thus providing an unprecedented empirical basis to study the social foundations of car accidents. The data are used to adjudicate between two alternative hypotheses: the heterogeneity hypothesis (socially different drivers tend to collide) versus the homogeneity hypothesis (socially similar drivers tend to collide).

Results

Multivariate analyses provide preliminary support for the latter hypothesis. Given an accident, there are more collisions among drivers from the same broad educational group, and the factors that influence this correlation are independent of geography. The paper thus leads to the idea that severe collisions reflect a sociological or ecological process that is akin to acciphilia.

Impact on Industry

The preliminary findings suggest that variation between drivers may be preferable to similarity, since apparently there is a greater tendency toward collisions between similar drivers.     

Evaluating repeated patient handling injuries following the implementation of a multi-factor ergonomic intervention program among health care workers

Objective

The objective of this study was to evaluate repeated patient handling injuries following a multi-factor ergonomic intervention program among health care workers.

Methods

This was a quasi-experimental study which had an intervention group and a non-randomized control group. Data were collected from six hospitals in Saskatchewan, Canada from September 1, 2001 to December 1, 2006.

Results

A total of 1,480 individuals who had a previous injury were eligible for the study. Medium and small size hospitals in the intervention group had significantly fewer repeated injuries than in the control group. Multivariate analysis showed that the intervention group had 38.1% lower odds of having repeated injury compared to the control group, after adjusting for hospital size.

Conclusions

The work-related repeated injury after a multi-factor intervention program was reduced. The synergistic relationships between components of multi-factor intervention and applicability of injury prevention programs to different settings need to be further explored.

Impact on Industry

Implementing a multi-factor program with the right equipment and training can lower the risk of injury among health care workers.     

Falls and fall prevention programmes in developing countries: environmental scan for the adaptation of the Canadian Falls prevention curriculum for developing countries

Problem

Falls in older persons in developing countries are poorly understood, and falls prevention and health promotion programmes for this population are largely lacking.

Methods

A systematic review was carried out of relevant literature on falls and prevention programmes, and falls prevention education, and a scan undertaken of health promotion programmes for older persons in a representative country - South Africa.

Results

Studies on the risk and prevalence of falls are largely retrospective and hospital-based, with varied methodology, including study period, sampling method and sample size. Falls prevalence is based largely on self-reports in studies on general trauma in all age groups. Falls incidence varies from 10.1% to 54%. No reports could be traced on sustained falls prevention or health promotion programmes.

Conclusion

Scant research has been conducted and little preventive education offered on falls in older persons. Adaptation of the Canadian Falls Prevention Curriculum for developing countries will help to fill gaps in knowledge and practice.

Impact on industry

With rapid increase in the populations of older persons in developing countries, research on age related disorders such as falls is required to guide policy and management of falls.     

Supporting breastfeeding in emergencies: protecting women's reproductive rights and maternal and infant health

Women have the right to support that enables them to breastfeed. Supporting breastfeeding in emergencies is important because artificial feeding places mothers and children at risk. In emergencies, artificial feeding is dangerous to the infant, difficult and requires substantial resources. In contrast, breastfeeding guards infant health. It is also protective against postpartum haemorrhage, maternal depletion, maternal anaemia and closely spaced births and should therefore concern not only nutritionists, but also those involved in reproductive health. However, it is common for women's ability to breastfeed to be undermined in emergencies by the indiscriminate distribution of breast-milk substitutes and the absence of breastfeeding support. Controlling the distribution of breast-milk substitutes, providing supportive environments, and appropriate medical and practical assistance to breastfeeding women safeguards the health and well-being of mothers and babies. Greater collaboration between the nutrition and reproductive health sectors is required to promote best practice in protecting breastfeeding women and their children in emergencies.     

Establishing moral bearings: ethics and expatriate health care professionals in humanitarian work

Expatriate health care professionals frequently participate in international responses to natural disasters and humanitarian emergencies. This field of practice presents important clinical, logistical and ethical challenges for clinicians. This paper considers the ethics of health care practice in humanitarian contexts. It examines features that contribute to forming the moral landscape of humanitarian work, and discusses normative guidelines and approaches that are relevant for this work. These tools and frameworks provide important ethics resources for humanitarian settings. Finally, it elaborates a set of questions that can aid health care professionals as they analyse ethical issues that they experience in the field. The proposed process can assist clinicians as they seek to establish their moral bearings in situations of ethical complexity and uncertainty. Identifying and developing ethics resources and vocabulary for clinical practice in humanitarian work will help health care professionals provide ethically sound care to patients and communities.     

京津冀地区“煤改电”对PM2.5污染的健康效益评估

为准确评估京津冀地区采暖期实施“煤改电”政策带来的健康效益,估算了京津冀地区各区县采暖期“煤改电”政策实施前后PM_2.5污染导致的过早死亡人数,并采用支付意愿法计算了相应的健康损失价值.结果表明,京津冀地区“煤改电”政策实施后带来了1 745人(95%CI:1 443～1 907)健康效益和23.78亿元(95%CI:14.50～30.63)经济效益.北京、天津及河北地区的健康效益分别为495人(95%CI:436～554)、 296人(95%CI:238～354)及954人(95%CI:693～1 076).经济效益分别为3.50亿元(95%CI:3.08～3.92)、 3.32亿元(95%CI:2.67～3.96)及16.96亿元(95%CI:8.75～22.75),分别占各地区GDP的0.01%、 0.02%及0.04%. COPD、 LC、 ALRI、 IHD、 STROKE减少的死亡人数分别为187人(95%CI:165～224)、 318人(95%CI:178～458)、 193人(95%CI:115～204)、 506人(95%CI:232～780)...     

基于高空间分辨网格的郑州市城镇居民PM2.5暴露浓度与健康风险变化评估

近年来,我国以PM_2.5为特征污染物的复合型大气污染问题依然严峻,居民长期暴露在PM_2.5环境中会造成健康损伤,可以增加特定疾病过早死亡.郑州市PM_2.5浓度年均值远高于国家Ⅱ级标准,对居民健康造成了极为不利的影响.基于网络数据爬取建立的高空间分辨率人口密度网格,依据室外浓度监测数据和城镇居民源排放量,评估了包括室内和室外暴露的郑州市城镇居民的PM_2.5暴露水平,并采用综合暴露-反应模型量化了相应的健康风险,最后评估了不同削减措施与空气质量标准对降低城镇居民PM_2.5暴露浓度的贡献.结果表明,2017年和2019年郑州市城镇居民的时间加权PM_2.5暴露浓度年均值分别为74.06μg·m^-3和60.64μg·m^-3,下降了18.12%.其中室内暴露浓度占时间加权暴露浓度的质量分数分别为83.58%和83.01%,对时间加权暴露浓度下降的贡献率为84.06%. 2017年和2019年郑州市与PM_2.5     

土壤稀土元素的迁移-富集机制及其生态效应

稀土被称为“工业维生素”。随着稀土元素使用日益增加,导致其在土壤广泛分布并不断积累。土壤中稀土元素的地球化学过程已成为全球关注的热点。本文通过检索土壤环境稀土元素方向研究文献,综述土壤稀土元素迁移-富集机制的研究进展,识别土壤稀土元素主要来源,探讨土壤稀土元素的含量分布、分馏特征和赋存相态,以及稀土元素迁移富集和分馏的影响因素,分析稀土元素对土壤理化性质、动物、植物和微生物等产生的生态效应,以及对人体健康的潜在威胁,提出土壤稀土元素未来研究的关键问题和方向。相关认识有助于理解和掌握稀土元素在土壤中的迁移和归趋,并为稀土污染防治提供理论依据。     

《大气污染防治行动计划》实施的环境健康效果评估

为了定量评估《大气十条》实施带来的环境健康效益,本文首先依据PM_(2.5)浓度和人口数据,分析2013～2017年全国人口加权浓度的变化,其次利用Ben MAP模型对全国338个地级及以上城市2013年PM_(2.5)基准情景和2017年PM_(2.5)控制情景进行分析,定量分析全国31个省(市)及338个地级及以上城市减少过早死亡人数.结果表明,由于PM_(2.5)浓度大幅下降,2013～2017年全国PM_(2.5)人口加权浓度呈逐年下降趋势;北京、天津、河北等京津冀及周边地区减少过早死亡人数最多. 2017年全国280个城市避免过早死亡人数有所增加,58个城市避免过早死亡人数有所下降.以WHO过渡期第1阶段目标值(PM_(2.5)年均浓度为35μg·m-3)作为控制情景,估算2013年全国过早死亡人数约为101 293人,2017年约为41 080人,《大气十条》的实施大约避免60 213人过早死亡.依据支付意愿法调查结果,估算增加的健康效益约为549. 7亿元.