Impact of the Safe Community program in Harstad on the incidence of injuries

Objectives Since 1987, the Harstad community in Norway has run an injury prevention program according to the Safe Community approach. The effectiveness of this approach in reducing injury rates is poorly documented. The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of the Harstad program on the incidence of injuries. Methods We used data from the National Injury register of Norway and compared age-adjusted incidence rates and standardized rate ratios of injuries in Harstad and three control communities for the period 1992-1997. Results Harstad had the second highest rates for both all injuries and fractures. No reduction in the incidence of injuries in Harstad was observed from 1992-1997. The injury rates in 1992-1997 were similar to the rates recorded in 1985/86. Conclusions The injury prevention program in Harstad has not reduced overall injury rates. The Safe Community concept is an organizational strategy, but implementation of proven and targeted risk reduction measures will be needed if community-based programs are to result in risk reductions.     

Study of kite string injuries in Western India

A prospective analysis of 104 patients (outdoor and indoor) with manja (powdered glass coated kite string) injury from January 2011 to January 2015 was carried out at Civil Hospital Ahmedabad. All patients were analysed for mode and severity of injury, site of injury, associated injuries, activity being performed when injury occurred, the clinical diagnosis and treatment required. Analysis of collected data revealed that majority of the injuries occurred while driving or in pedestrians with the neck being the most commonly affected body part. Males were more commonly affected with most of the victims in the age group of 16–45 years. Injuries sustained while driving tended to be more severe. All injuries were recorded in the month of January. No deaths were reported, but potentially fatal injuries did occur. Most of the injuries were superficial and could be prevented or mitigated by either protective clothing or by use of protective devices on vehicles, which should be implemented to reduce the morbidity of such injuries in the future. There were no ethical issues or vested interests associated with the study.     

Epidemiology of fatal and non-fatal drowning patients attended by paramedics in Victoria,Australia

Drowning is a major cause of injury and death worldwide. This study aims to expand the evidence in fatal and non-fatal drowning. A retrospective study was conducted to investigate fatal and non-fatal drowning incidents attended by ambulance paramedics in Victoria (Australia) from 2007 to 2012. A total of 509 drowning incidents were identified, 339 (66.6%) were non-fatal, with 170 (33.4%) resulting in death. Children aged 0–4 years had the highest crude drowning rate (7.95 per 100,000 persons). Non-fatal incidents were more likely to be witnessed by a bystander when compared with fatal incidents (43.7% vs. 20.0%, p < 0.001). Spatial analysis indicated that 35 (43.8%) local government areas (LGAs) were considered at ‘excess risk’ of a drowning event occurring. This study is the first to apply spatial analysis to determine relative risk ratios for fatal and non-fatal drowning. These findings will enable geographically targeted and age-specific drowning prevention activities.     

Capture and surveillance of quad-bike (ATV)-related injuries in administrative data collections

Identifying quad-bike-related injuries in administrative data collections can be problematic. This study sought to determine whether quad-bike-related injuries could be identified in routinely collected administrative data collections in New South Wales (NSW), Australia, and to determine the information recorded according to World Health Organization (WHO) injury surveillance guidelines that could assist injury prevention efforts. Five routinely collected administrative data collections in NSW in the period 2000–2012 were reviewed. The WHO core minimum data items recorded in each of the five data collections ranged from 37.5% to 75.0%. Age and sex of the injured individual were the only data items that were recorded in all data collections. The data collections did not contain detailed information on the circumstances of quad bike incidents. Major improvements are needed in the information collected in these data-sets, if their value is to be increased and used for injury prevention purposes.     

United States concessions in the Kennedy Round and short-run labor adjustment costs

This paper reports on an econometric analysis of the exemptions awarded to United States industries from the across-the-board 50 percent tariff cut imposed in the Kennedy Round. It is shown that as much as 50 percent of the inter-industry variation in reductions in nominal tariff and non-tariff rates may be accounted for by variables that proxy labor adjustment costs. In particular, certain industrial characteristics are significantly related to the Kennedy Round reductions: declining industries, and industries with a high proportion of unskilled or old workers, are associated with low reductions.     

The Use of Cases in Teaching Business Courses in Central and Eastern Europe and the United States

Abstract

The extent of case methodology use in teaching business courses in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) and in the United States (US) differ. This paper discusses the reasons for these differences utilizing the available literature and the author's recent experiences in teaching business courses in CEE under the Fulbright Scholar Program. It also presents a framework for developing and delivering case-based business courses with the objective of maximizing teaching effectiveness.     

Paediatric head injuries treated in a children's emergency department from Cluj-Napoca,Romania

The aim of the study was to describe paediatric head injuries and identify factors that led to advanced care. Incident cases of head injuries that sought care from December 2008 to October 2010 at Children's Emergency Hospital Cluj-Napoca were evaluated. The main outcome was transfer or admission to advanced care. From a total of 3053 children treated for an injury, 1541 (50.4%) presented with head injury. A total of 960 (62.3%) of the children with a head injury required advanced care treatment. Young children were more likely to suffer a head injury than older children, but a higher proportion of older children required advanced care (70.3%). Children who suffered a head injury as a consequence of road traffic were almost five times more likely to require advanced care (OR: 4.97; 3.09-8.06) than being released. Our results suggest that data on injuries provide evidence-based information on the nature of injuries children are prone to, and what activity, type, and mechanism of injury impact Romanian children.     

Attitudes and related perceptions about product placement: a comparison of Finland,Italy and the United States

The primary goal of our study is to explore cross-national differences in attitudes and perceptions about product placements, after investigating measurement invariance. Our cross-national focus includes three countries that have not been compared previously: Finland, Italy and the USA, which differ significantly in terms of the evolution/maturity of product placement markets, regulatory structures and cultural contexts. Motivated by earlier studies, we investigate the cross-national measurement invariance of scales to measure four research constructs related to the product placement domain (attitude toward credibility of advertising, attitude toward advertising-in-general, attitude toward placement-in-general and attitude toward regulation of placements). Our research also extends earlier work focused on similar constructs from a cross-national perspective. Results from multi-group analyses using a structural equation modeling approach indicate important and statistically significant differences in latent means between the three countries for all four constructs of research interest. Substantive explanations of these differences and their implications for future practice and research are discussed.     

A history of the consumer movement in the United States: its literature and legislation

The role of the consumer in the history of economic theory is reviewed to derive a number of hypotheses regarding the conditions which might foster a sustained consumer movement. A survey of the consumer advocacy literature and consumer protection legislation of the 20th century supports the hypothesis that a sustained consumer movement did not manifest itself in the United States until the 1960s. Although the continued sustenance of this movement is open to debate, this article cites a number of attributes of the current state of the movement which suggest that it shall endure and flourish.     

Bringing product and consumer ecosystems to the strategic forefront

The widespread adoption of technology and electronic media has dramatically altered the set of products consumers compare before making a purchase decision. Online platforms have succeeded at drawing linkages among products by highlighting those that are preferred, evaluated, or purchased together. However, despite the increase in both product and customer inter-connectedness across markets, managers continue to make decisions based largely on the dynamics of competition within narrow product categories. In this article, we raise the call for a migration from a category-focused mindset to an ecosystem-focused strategic mindset that acknowledges and accounts for the network of related or unrelated entities that a specific product resides within. We illustrate the importance of this shift using examples of preference, choice, and customer networks from popular online platforms. We then discuss the impact of the shift in strategic mindset toward ecosystems on competitive structure analysis, market research, brand footprint analysis, intra-band ecosystems, promotion planning, new product development, customer valuation, strategic alliances, and market segmentation.     

Functional equivalence in cross-cultural consumer behavior: Gift giving in Japan and the United States

The functional equivalence of products and consumer activities across cultures is a largely unexplored area. Yet, the lack of functional equivalence that exists may suggest the need for modification of some concepts and theories of consumer behavior. The study reported in this paper explores the functional equivalence that exists between U.S. and Japanese consumers in an important consumer activity—gift giving. The results suggest a lack of functional equivalence of this activity and illustrate how researchers should give explicit consideration to this issue in the development and testing of consumer concepts and models.     

The birth of the housing consumer in the United States, 1918–1960

Between 1918 and 1960, those Americans who were able to buy a home learned to think and act as housing consumers. By 1960, the typical couple purchased a finished dwelling from a speculative builder instead of hiring the services of a contractor. Builders now produced for an anonymous market. They learned how to sell, and buyers learned to expect, a comprehensive and standardized package of services that included long‐term financing. Such financing required, and buttressed, a Fordist regime of mass production and consumption, and was promoted after 1934 by a new federal agency. It stabilized the economy by pushing families to make long‐range spending plans, while shaping their pattern of monthly expenditures. Increasingly, Americans came to think of homes as commodities, as investments and as means of self‐expression. They enacted these assumptions by browsing through model homes, by making elaborate financial calculations, by borrowing and by taking on home repair and improvement projects. These changes were promoted by the real estate industry and the state, and were soon accepted for the comfort and convenience they offered.     

Self-reported load carriage injuries of military soldiers

The aim of this study was to investigate whether occupational load carriage constitutes a significant source of injury to military soldiers. An online survey was sent to soldiers serving in specific Australian Army Corps known to experience the greatest occupational exposure to load carriage. Of the 338 respondents, 34% sustained at least one load carriage injury. Fifty-two per cent of those injured during initial training reported sustaining an additional load carriage injury. The majority of injuries (61%) were to the lower limbs with bones and joints the most frequently injured body structures (39%). Endurance marching (continuous marching as part of a physical training session) was the activity accounting for most (38%) injuries. Occupational load carriage is associated with military soldier injuries and, once injured, soldiers are at a high risk of future load carriage injury. The bodily sites and nature of self-reported injuries in this study are akin to those of formally reported injuries and those of other militaries.     

Older adult pedestrian injuries in the United States: causes and contributing circumstances

As the US population ages, more older adults will face transportation and mobility challenges. This study examines the characteristics and contributing circumstances of nonfatal older adult pedestrian injuries. Data were obtained from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System-All Injury Programme (NEISS-AIP) for the years 2001 through 2006. Cases included persons aged 65 years and older who were nonfatally injured on a public roadway. The results indicated that on average, an estimated 52,482 older adults were treated in emergency departments each year for nonfatal pedestrian injuries. Falling and being hit by a motor vehicle were the leading mechanisms of injury, resulting in 77.5% and 15.0% of older adult pedestrian injuries, respectively. More than 9000 older pedestrian fall-related injuries each year involved a kerb. It is concluded that the growth in the older adult population could add to the overall burden of these nonfatal pedestrian injuries. Making transportation and mobility improvements, including environmental modifications, is important for preventing these injuries.     

Epidemiology of yoga-related injuries in Canada from 1991 to 2010: a case series study

The aim is to describe the epidemiology of yoga injuries presenting to select Canadian emergency departments (EDs). Those who presented with a yoga injury to a Canadian ED participating in the Canadian Hospitals Injury Reporting and Prevention Program and had completed a data collection form between 1991 and 2010 were included. Demographic and injury characteristics were tabulated and injury profiles of children were compared to adults. Sixty-six individuals (48 female, 18 male) who sustained 67 injuries were included. The median age was 19 (intraquartile range: 13, 32) and 73% of individuals were injured after 2005 (p = 0.0003). Sprain was the most common injury (23/67, 34%) and the most common body region injured was the lower extremity (27/67, 42%). Significantly more children were injured while being instructed than adults (p = 0.003) but more adults required treatment (p = 0.023). Although yoga-related injuries presenting to an ED are not common, the number of injuries are increasing.     

Sports injuries and injury-preventive behavior related to hockey and volleyball in the Netherlands

Abstract

In a survey of hockey and volleyball players, the number and nature of sports injuries, the percentage of players taking injury-preventive measures (warming up before and cooling down after playing and the use of gum-shields and knee caps) and the main reasons for taking these measures have been assessed by self-reports in a questionnaire. The questionnaire for hockey players was answered by 635 respondents, the questionnaire for volleyball players by 711 players. For both hockey players and volleyball players, an incidence of about 500 injuries per 1000 players per year was found. Almost all volleyball players warmed-up before the last game played and 86% wore knee caps. About 25% of all hockey- and volleyball players took part in cooling down after this game. A gum-shield was used by 25% of the hockeyplayers. Surprisingly, players who took part in cooling down appeared to have a higher number of injuries than those who did not.     

United States concessions in the Kennedy Round and short-run labour adjustment costs: Further evidence

The intent of this article is to add further empirical evidence to the frequently espoused hypothesis that the decision-making process used by U.S. tariff negotiators is heavily weighted by their assessment of the likely labor displacement effects that trade liberalization may have on domestic interests. Using data on 477 workers displaced from six different industries the results demonstrate that industries with high labor adjustment costs received greater exceptions from the across-the-board tariff cut in the Kennedy Round of the Multilateral Trade Negotiations than industries with lower adjustment costs.     

The potential of smart homes for injury prevention among the elderly

Smart homes promise to make the lives of elderly people more comfortable and safe. Today, there is a significant interest from industry and policy makers in developing these technologies. In theory, the emerging technologies make it possible to provide a new range of services. So far, however, the goal has often been to develop new services for young people rather than assisting old people to improve their quality of life. Especially important is the potential for using these technologies to promote safety and prevent injury among old people because this group is at home more than the other age groups. Networked devices can collect data from sensors and aid decision-making on intervention and other measures. Furthermore, these devices can instruct and remind individuals about safety-related issues.