Association between Smoking and Unintentional Injuries among Korean Adults

Association Between Regional Levels of Particulate Matter and Recurrent Falls in Korea

BACKGROUND

We investigated the extent of regional disparity of recurrent falls. In addition, we examined the association between particulate matter (PM) and recurrent falls and the association between regional disparity of recurrent falls and regional PM levels.

METHOD

We used data from Korea Community Health Survey 2019 that included 204,395 participants from 237 municipal districts. The independent variables were the annual average PM10 and PM2.5 concentrations measured at the air quality measuring stations in each municipal district. The outcome variable was the experience of falls more than twice in the previous year. Multilevel analyses were conducted to estimate the association between regional PM10 and PM2.5 levels and recurrent falls.

RESULTS

The regional variation was greater in the young people than that in the older people. PM10 and PM2.5 levels were positively associated with recurrent falls after adjusting for individual and regional covariates. These associations were more evident in the older group than in the young. PM10 and PM2.5 explained 2.82% and 3.33% of the remaining regional variance in models with individual and regional confounders, respectively. These proportions were greater in the older group (PM10 and PM2.5; 4.73% and 5.27%) than those in the younger age group (PM10 and PM2.5, 0.80% and 1.39%).

CONCLUSION

PM concentration was associated with recurrent falls even after accounting for other regional variables and individual-level differences. Moreover, there were regional differences in the occurrence of falls, and the PM concentration explained a part of the gap, but the gap was explained more in the older group than in the young.

Factors Associated with Serious Injuries among Adolescents in Ghana: Findings from 2012 Global School Health Survey

Introduction

Injuries are of public health concern and the leading cause of residual disability and death among teenagers, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). In Ghana, the burden of injury among adolescents is under-reported. Hence, the study sought to determine the prevalence of serious injuries (SI) and the potential factors influencing these injuries among school children in Ghana.

Methods

This study was conducted in Ghana among Junior High School (JHS) and senior high school students (SHS) using the 2012 Global School-Based Student Health Survey (GSHS) data. The GSHS employed two-stage cluster sampling method. Serious injuries (SI) and independent factors were measured via self-administered questionnaires. Pearson chi-square test between each explanatory variable and serious injuries was conducted and the level of statistical significance was set at 5%. The significant variables from the chi-square test were selected for multiple logistic regression analysis. Multiple logistic regression was performed to estimate the adjusted odds ratio (AOR) at 95% confidence interval (CI).

Results

The prevalence of SI in the past 12 months was 66% [CI=61.8-70.2] . The most common cause of SI was fall, 36%. The common types of injuries were cut/stab wounds and broken/dislocated bone. In the multiple logistic regression analysis, after controlling for other variables, educational level (AOR = 0.64, CI = 0.44-0.90, p < 0.015), suicidal ideation (AOR = 1.58, CI = 1.00-2.48, p < 0.002), suicidal attempt (AOR = 1.88, CI = 1.29-2.72, p < 0.001), having at least one close friend (AOR = 1.49, CI = 1.17-1.89, p < 0.002), school truancy (AOR = 1.66, CI = 1.31-2.09, p < 0.000), smoking marijuana (AOR = 2.64, CI = 1.22-5.69), and amphetamine use (AOR = 2.95, CI = 1.46-5.69) were independently associated with SI.

Conclusion

The findings of the study established a high prevalence of SI among adolescents in Ghana, with cut/stab wound and broken/dislocated bone being the most reported type of injuries. This study also revealed that factors such as educational level, suicidal ideation, suicidal attempt, at least one close friend, school truancy, smoking marijuana, and amphetamine use are associated with SI among the adolescents. Therefore, pragmatic interventional programs should be targeted at these factors to curb the rate of SI among junior and senior school students.

Health-Risk Behaviours and Injuries among Youth and Young Adults in Chiang Mai, Thailand: A Population-Based Survey

This study aimed to identify the prevalence of health-risk behaviours (alcohol use, tobacco smoking and gambling) and the associations between health-risk behaviours and injuries among youth (15–24 years) and young adults (25–39 years). A multi-stage cluster sampling survey was conducted in Chiang Mai, Thailand. The associations between health-risk behaviours and injuries were analysed using logistic regression and adjusted for potential confounders. Sample weights were applied in all analyses. Six-hundred-and-thirty participants were included. Fifty-three percent of males and 12.3% of females drank in the past three months. Smoking in the past three months was higher among males (38.5%) than females (0.7%). About a quarter of men and a fifth of the women had gambled in the past year. A total of 6.4% of males and 4.8% of females sought medical attention in the past year due to injuries. Compared to those without any of the three health-risk behaviours, the odds ratio for injuries requiring medical attention was 3.81 (95% CI: 1.33 to 10.90, p = 0.013) for those with two health-risk behaviours and 13.8 (95% CI: 4.24 to 45.10, p < 0.001) for those with all three health-risk behaviours. Injury prevention policies may need to incorporate interventions designed to assess multiple health-risk behaviours.