Surgeons and injury prevention: what you don't know can hurt you!

Orofacial injuries as markers for intimate partner violence

Health care professionals have increasingly recognized that intimate partner violence (IPV) is a highly prevalent public health problem with devastating effects on individuals, families, and communities. However, there are no obvious clinical characteristics of IPV. Interventions may prevent future IPV-related injuries, but they cannot be initiated until the diagnosis is made. Because of the frequency of IPV-related orofacial injuries, oral and maxillofacial surgeons (OMSs) may be the first and only health care providers to see these patients. Therefore, OMSs are in a pivotal position to diagnosis IPV-related injuries and expedite referral for interventional therapy. This article presents data that support the use of orofacial injuries as a prime predictor variable in identifying victims of IPV and provides: (1) an overview of the epidemiology of IPV-related orofacial injuries; (2) a discussion of the role of head, neck, and facial injuries as markers of IPV, and their role as a diagnostic tool to facilitate the early diagnosis and referral for management of IPV; (3) a list of the advantages and limitations of using orofacial injuries as indicators of IPV; and (4) future directions to improve efforts to educate OMSs in identifying patients who are at high risk for an IPV-related injury.

Does intent matter? The medical and societal burden of self-inflicted injury

BACKGROUND

The objective of our study was to assess the impact of injury intentionality on the outcomes and healthcare resource utilization of severely injured patients in the United States.

METHODS

The National Trauma Data Bank for the years 2001 through 2006 was used for our analysis. Adult patients with an injury severity score >or=15 were divided into three groups based on injury intentionality: unintentional, assault, and self-inflicted. Demographic and injury characteristics, unadjusted and risk-adjusted mortality rates, and healthcare resource utilization variables were compared for these three groups using t tests, analysis of variance, and multivariable regression analyses where appropriate. Stata/SE version 9.2 was used for all statistical analyses. p values <0.05 were considered significant.

RESULTS

A total of 138,589 patients were included for analysis. After adjustment for potentially confounding variables, self-inflicted injury remained a significant predictor of increased mortality (mortality 42.3%, adjusted odds ratio for death = 2.31, 95% confidence interval 1.97-2.71), and injury by assault a significant predictor of decreased mortality (mortality 18.3%, adjusted odds ratio for death = 0.83, 95% confidence interval 0.74-0.92), when compared with unintentional injury (mortality 15.1%). Patients surviving self-inflicted injury required longer intensive care unit stays and overall hospital stays than survivors of unintentional injury.

CONCLUSIONS

Patients who are treated for self-inflicted injury have higher risk-adjusted mortality and utilize comparatively higher levels of healthcare resources than victims of assault or patients sustaining unintentional injury. The findings of our study emphasize the need for trauma center participation in the development and maintenance of aggressive primary and secondary suicide prevention programs.

Increased Fatalities and Cost of Traumatic Injuries in Elderly Pedestrians in Hawaii: A Challenge for Prevention and Outreach

This study was carried out to evaluate and quantify risk factors, mechanisms, and cost of traumatic injuries in Hawaii's elderly and to identify potential preventive strategies. A retrospective review of a prospective database of patients admitted to the only Trauma Center in the Pacific Basin, between January 2000 and December 2001, was conducted. Of 2634 trauma admissions, 11% were ≥65 years of age. Mechanisms of injury included falls, motor vehicle crashes (MVCs), pedestrians hit by automobiles, and miscellaneous causes. The incidence of elderly pedestrians hit by automobiles in Hawaii is higher than previously reported. Hospital mortality rate was highest for the pedestrian hit group, followed by falls, and then MVCs. The pedestrian hit group consumed the largest quantity of resources and MVCs the least. Given the high mortality rate and associated resource consumption in the pedestrian hit group, it would be appropriate to give priority to this group while developing preventive measures for this age group.

Survey of current injury prevention practices by registered nurses in the emergency department

INTRODUCTION

It has been shown that a vast majority of injured patients who seek treatment in emergency departments are seen and released. The events resulting in the individuals seeking treatment may have been preventable and some of the time spent in an emergency department could be used for injury prevention (IP) education. This study sought to determine current IP practices of registered nurses working in an emergency department, to discover whether or not they believed IP was important, and to identify perceived obstacles for incorporating IP education into clinical practice.

METHODS

A convenience sample of 150 registered nurses working in the emergency departments of an adult level 1 trauma centre in Ontario, Canada was used. A descriptive survey composed of 10 questions was used. Data analysis was completed using SPSS Version 11.0.

RESULTS

Findings suggest current IP strategies are varied, and implemented inconsistently. Evidence indicates educating patients about IP is an important part of the emergency nurse role. However, time, education, and resources were recognized obstacles to implementation.

DISCUSSION

A better understanding of registered nurses' current IP practices will guide the development and implementation of a future adult focused injury prevention program for ED patients.

Injury prevention activities in U.S. trauma centres: are we doing enough?

BACKGROUND

Despite the requirement for and endorsement of injury prevention efforts among U.S. trauma centres, little is known about the breadth and depth of their current activities.

METHODS

A survey was sent to eligible institutions in the National Inventory of Trauma Centres to better describe how level I and II centres are fulfilling their injury prevention requirement, to identify the barriers to conducting prevention activities, and to determine trauma centre personnel's interest in enhancing their prevention role.

RESULTS

A total of 268 trauma centres (60%) completed the survey. Only 19% reported having an injury prevention director/coordinator but more than half of centres reported participating in 9 of 11 injury prevention activities, including participating in community events (97%), sending speakers to local schools (89%), and preparing or distributing educational materials (84%). Lack of time (68%), dedicated funding (68%), and an injury prevention specialist (45%) were the most frequently cited barriers to conducting injury prevention activities. Injury prevention collaborations were reported with safety groups (24%) and with emergency medical services, fire and police (23%). Trauma centres partnered less frequently with academic institutions (11%) and local or state health departments (16%). Topics and formats for injury prevention training as well as training barriers were also explored.

CONCLUSIONS

Improved partnerships and linkages with established agencies and organisations at the local and state levels could assist trauma centres in leveraging their more limited resources and expertise to offer state-of-the-art injury prevention programs and policies. As low- and middle-income countries are developing or strengthening their trauma systems, they should be encouraged to view injury prevention as a fundamental responsibility.

The role of health professionals in childhood injury prevention: a systematic review of the literature

OBJECTIVE

To systematically review the literature to explore health professionals' knowledge, attitudes and practices and their role in childhood injury prevention.

METHODS

MEDLINE (1966-September Week 1 2005), EMBASE (1980-2005 Week 37), CINAHL (1982-September Week 1 2005), BRITISH NURSING INDEX (1985-September 2005) and PsychINFO (1967-August Week 5 2005) were searched using relevant 'medical subheadings' (for MEDLINE, EMBASE and CINAHL) and 'thesaurus terms' (for PsychINFO).

RESULTS

Twenty-five primary studies were retrieved, the majority of which were surveys. Health professionals' knowledge was reported to be variable, although generally they have a positive attitude towards childhood injury prevention. Even with adequate knowledge and positive attitudes there appear to be barriers in prevention practice.

CONCLUSION

There continues to be a need for high quality research specifically looking at how to change practice. Nevertheless, although training may be effective at increasing health professionals' knowledge and changing their attitudes, legislative and engineering measures may ultimately more effective at reducing the burden of childhood injuries.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

Barriers to practice for health professionals need to be taken into account. No matter how knowledgeable nor how positive their attitudes to childhood injury prevention if barriers to practice are not addressed we will move no closer to reducing the burden of injuries in childhood. Those health professionals who are positive about their role may be best suited to continue to raise the issue campaigning for legislative and engineering changes which can reduce childhood injuries.

Measuring Trauma Center Injury Prevention Activity: An Assessment and Reporting Tool

OBJECTIVE

To develop an assessment and reporting tool for a trauma center's community partnership strategy to deliver injury prevention programs in a large metropolitan area.

METHOD

The tool was designed to track prevention activity and serve as a reporting format for the parent health system, county designating agency, and the American College of Surgeons' Trauma Center Verification Process. The tool collected data including trauma center paid and volunteer personnel time, equipment, resource, and financial costs, community group and public agency contributions, number of community members receiving prevention material or presentations, impact on public policy, and print and broadcast media coverage. These measurements were incorporated in a reporting grid format. Six youth injury prevention programs were evaluated over a recent 2-year interval to demonstrate the tool's usefulness.

RESULTS

Of six programs, three focused on motor vehicle injuries, one on teen suicide, one on firearm injuries, and one on drug and alcohol abuse. Trauma Center personnel asset allocation included 3% full-time equivalent by the Trauma Medical Director, 30% by the Injury Prevention and Community Outreach Coordinator, and 473 person hours (both work and volunteer) by physicians, nurses, and other personnel. Trauma Center equipment and fixed asset expenses totaled $3,950 and monetary contribution totaled $4,430. Community groups and public agencies contributed 20,400 person hours with estimated in-kind costs exceeding $750,000. Five of the six programs continued during the 2-year period. A gun-lock giveaway program was suspended because of a product recall. A total of over 29,000 youth received prevention material and presentations. Four public policy initiatives and 18 Trauma Center media stories with over 50 mentions and 37 new community partnerships resulted. The reports generated were easily incorporated in the trauma center's reports to local and national organizations and agencies.

CONCLUSION

This assessment tool provided a detailed but concise accounting of trauma center injury prevention activity. The reports generated were effective in displaying the center's work.

Injury Location and Screening Questionnaires as Markers for Intimate Partner Violence

PURPOSE

We sought to evaluate the performance of 2 different screening questionnaires for intimate partner violence (IPV), in conjunction with injury location, as markers for IPV-related injuries.

METHODS

We implemented a cross-sectional study and enrolled a sample of women presenting to the emergency department for evaluation and management of nonverifiable injuries. Study subjects were randomly assigned to receive 1 of 2 IPV screening questionnaires: the Partner Violence Screen (PVS) or the short-Woman Abuse Screening Tool (short-WAST). We evaluated a combination of 2 markers of IPV-related injury: (1) injury location, classified as head/neck/facial (HNF) or other and (2) responses to the IPV questionnaires: positive or negative. Our predictor variable was the probability of self-report of IPV-related injury defined as (1) high probability (HNF injuries were present and there was a positive response to the IPV questionnaire) or (2) low probability (all other combinations of injury location and responses to the questionnaires). The outcome variable was self-reported injury etiology, IPV or other. Demographic variables were also recorded for our study sample. Univariate and bivariate statistical analyses were computed for the sample. Sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values and odds ratios were calculated (P < .05).

RESULTS

The sample was composed of 200 women. The sensitivities/specificities for the PVS-injury location and short-WAST-injury location combinations were 0.75/0.70 and 0.77/0.61, respectively. The odds ratios for IPV-related injury etiology were 10.2 (3 < OR < 41, P = .01) for the PVS-injury location combination and 3.7 (0.90 < OR < 15, P = .07) for the short-WAST-injury location combination.

CONCLUSIONS

A set of markers composed of injury location and the PVS was statistically associated with the likelihood of reporting IPV-related injuries. The short-WAST did not perform as well as the PVS in the study's clinical setting.