Short reports

In this study, we assessed the epidemiological patterns of suicide terrorism in the civilian population of Pakistan. Information about suicide terrorism-related events, deaths and injuries was extracted from the South-Asian Terrorism Portal (SATP) for the period from 2002 to October 2009. Of 198 events, civilians were involved in 194 events. Civilians accounted for 74.1% (N = 2017) of those who died and 93.8% (N = 6129) of those who were injured. In nine districts, mortality rates were more than one death per 100,000 inhabitants per year. The yearly trend showed a shift of attack targets from foreigners and sectarian targets in 2002–2005 to security forces or general public in 2006–2009. Attacks on public installations (mosques) or political gatherings resulted in a significantly greater (P ≤ 0.02) number of deaths (22 vs. 8) and injuries (59 vs. 24) per event compared with security installations. These results show that prevention might focus on political negotiation with armed groups and that appropriate measures should be taken to protect mosques and political gatherings.     

Parental beliefs about supervising children when crossing roads and cycling

Pedestrian and cyclist injuries are significant public health issues, together accounting for 11-30% of road deaths in highly motorised countries. Children are particularly at risk. In Australia in 2009 11.4% of pedestrian deaths and 6.4% of cyclist deaths comprised children aged 0-16 years. Parental attitudes and level of supervision are important to children's road safety. Results from a telephone survey with parents of children 5-9 years (N?=?147) are reported. Questions addressed beliefs about preventability of injury, appropriate ages for children to cross the road or cycle independently and the frequency of holding 5-9 year old children's hands while crossing the road. Results suggest that parents believe most injuries are preventable and that they personally can act to improve their own safety in the home, on the road, at work, as well as in or on the water. Most parents (68%) indicated children should be 10 years or older before crossing the road or cycling independently. Parents were more likely to report holding younger children's hands (5-6 years) when crossing the road and less likely to do so for 7- to 9-year olds. There was a small effect of child gender, with parents more likely to hold a boy's hand than that of a girl.     

Injuries among preschool children in the federal state of Brandenburg in relation to social factors – 1997–1999

The aim was to determine the epidemiology and risk factors of childhood and young adult injuries among long-term Afghan refugees in Pakistan. A stratified cluster study was undertaken on a random sample of refugee households from June to July 2002. The Afghan Refugee Injury Survey was administered to the head of the household and recorded all injuries among household members within the last 3 months. Crude injury incidence was 12.3 per 1000 population among those aged 0?–?29 years (age groups 0?–?4, 5?–?14 and 15?–?29 years). Those aged 15?–?29 years had the highest injury rate (18.3 per 1000) closely followed by those aged 5?–?14 (12.3 per 1000) and much higher than the 0?–?4 years category (2.3 per 1000). Falls accounted for most injuries (48%) with both road traffic injuries and assaults accounting for 15%. The 15?–?29 year age group (odds ratio?=?9.1) and those educated informally or for less than 6 years (odds ratio?=?2.10), were associated with injury (p?相似文献   

Design and construction of an Unintentional Injury Risk Index (UIRI) to measure frequency and severity of accidental injuries in Europe

ABSTRACT

In today's Risk Society, accidental injuries are considered an important public health problem. To design coherent programmes aimed at reducing risk, it is necessary to measure the magnitude of this phenomenon with its changing meaning –from random misfortune to foreseeable and preventable risk. To calculate the total volume of accidental injuries in Europe, the empirical aim of this article, we have designed an adequate measurement instrument: the Unintentional Injury Risk Index (UIRI) counts both the probability (incidence) and the consequences (severity) of injuries. The index calculated for EU countries in 2009 revealed that accidents caused injuries and suffering equivalent to 96.4 deaths per 100,000 population. Based on the index, other specific indices can be calculated, such as personal proneness, country risk or site hazard indices, useful for deepening knowledge on the risk factors for unintentional injuries.     

Clothing-related motorcycle injuries in Pakistan: findings from a surveillance study

This study aims to assess the burden and patterns of clothing-related motorcycle injuries in Karachi, Pakistan. Data were extracted from an ongoing traffic injury surveillance system. In three years (2007–2009), out of 99155 road traffic injury cases there were 986 (0.9%) cases of clothing-related motorcycle injuries. Most cases were females (73.9%) and pillion riders (80.6%). The crashes involving clothing-related injuries were mostly single vehicle (98.5%), and largely resulted in injuries to the external body (60.3%), limbs (51.0%), head (41.5%) and face (35.9%). One-third of injuries were either moderate (26.7%) or severe (10.2%) while 10 (1.01%) deaths were reported. Female gender (11.4%), age ≥ 45 years (19.4%), pillion riding (11.3%) and crashes occurring at intersections (12.3%) were more likely to result in moderate or severe injury as compared to other users (P < 0.001). Injuries due to entanglement of loose fitting clothing in motorcycles are not uncommon in Karachi. Awareness campaigns for prevention of such injuries may involve promotion of appropriate dressing for motorcycle riding including close wrapping of clothes and encouraging installations of covers on the rear wheels and drive chains.     

Pedestrian traffic injuries in Mexico: A country update

Road traffic injuries in general and pedestrian injuries in particular are a major public health problem in Mexico, especially in large urban areas. Analysis of mortality and road crashes at the national level was done using routine data recorded on death certificates. Fatality rates for different age groups were estimated by region for the year 2000. These data were supplemented by a cross-sectional study of pedestrian injuries in Mexico City based on death certificates information for pedestrians who lived and died in Mexico City between 1994 and 1997. Participant observation of physical spaces where crashes occurred was carried out. The spaces were filmed and in-depth interviews of survivors conducted. Road traffic crashes were responsible for approximately 17,500 deaths in Mexico during 2000. The mean age of the victims was 37 years. Mexico lost an average of 30 years of productive life for each individual who died in a traffic crash – 525,000 years in 2000. An estimated 9500 (54.3%) of all fatalities were pedestrians, and for every pedestrian death there were 13 others who sustained nonfatal injuries requiring medical care. The overall crude mortality rate for pedestrian injuries in Mexico City was 7.14 per 100,000 (CI 6.85-7.42). A concentration of deaths was observed in 10 neighborhoods at specific types of street environments. The underlying factors included dangerous crossings and the absence or inadequacy of pedestrian bridges, as well as negative perceptions of road safety by pedestrians. In conclusion, this study demonstrates the importance of elucidating the underlying contextual determinants of pedestrian injuries.     

Average out-of-pocket healthcare and work-loss costs of traffic injuries in Karachi, Pakistan

The objective of this study was to assess the average out-of-pocket healthcare and work-loss costs of road traffic injuries (RTI) in Karachi. In this cross-sectional study, RTI patients presenting to the five trauma centres in Karachi were contacted using stratified sampling to report their inpatient and outpatient expenses, the time spent in hospital and their average monthly income. These costs were compared among different categories of patient-related variables using analysis of variance test. Out of 341 RTI victims, two wheelers accounted for the majority of injuries (77.2%, N?=?256) followed by pedestrians (14.2%, N?=?48). Almost half of the sample patients were breadwinners (N?=?135, 45.2%), with 87.4% (N?=?118) earning less than US$ 248. Average out-of-pocket healthcare costs were US$ 271 (SD?=?440.9), which were significantly higher (P ≤ 0.026) for pedestrians (US$ 442), moderate (US$ 341.7) or severe (US$ 553.8) injury, and treatment in private hospitals (US$ 451.7). Similarly, average work loss was US$ 67.1 (SD?=?132.1), which were significantly higher (P?=?0.001) for breadwinners (US$ 99.1), moderate (US$ 130.0) or severe (US$ 157.1) injury, and treatment in private hospitals (US$ 150.0). Study results clearly showed the need to advocate RTI prevention measures in Pakistan as any such event could lead to a difficult economic situation for those involved and their family.     

Road safety impacts of the motorcycle in Brazil

Brazil has had high indices of traffic injuries and deaths since the 1950s, mostly related to the increasing and irresponsible use of the automobile. Upon approval of the Brazilian Transit Code (CTB) in 1997, traffic injuries and deaths began to diminish, despite an increase in vehicle fleet size, a phenomenon that had never occurred previously. Concurrently, starting in 1991 and with a great intensity after 1996, there has been a sizeable increase in motorcycle production and use, facilitated and encouraged by public officials. Between 1995 and 2000 annual sales figures for motorcycles doubled and reached 2 million units in 2008. Traffic deaths associated with motorcycles increased exponentially, rising from 725 in 2006 to 10,143 in 2010, eliminating the advances gained by the CTB in reducing auto-related injuries. This article analyses the process and its impacts on road safety. The first part summarises the main public policy decisions related to the theme. Part two analyses changes in traffic safety after the introduction of this new technology. Part three looks at the possible political, economic and social motives that lie behind this process. The final part suggests solutions to the great prejudice caused to society and the nation.     

A review of violent and traumatic deaths in Kathmandu, Nepal

The objective was to study the external causes of death reported in the autopsy centre in Kathmandu, Nepal. A retrospective review of case report documentation of all violent and traumatic death autopsies was conducted in Kathmandu from mid-July 2000 to mid-July 2004. A total of 4383 autopsies were conducted by the Department of Forensic Medicine in Kathmandu. There were 1072 (25%) cases of suicide, 380 (9%) homicide, 1399 (32%) accidental, 598 (14%) deaths as a result of natural diseases and 923 (21%) undetermined causes of death. The number of males was almost twice that of females (sex ratio 2.2:1). Persons aged 15 to 44 years comprised about two-thirds of the total reported fatalities (65.4%). Suicides were mostly reported due to hanging, homicides mostly due to firearms and explosives, accidents mostly due to road traffic injuries. More than 60% of road traffic injuries resulted among pedestrians. Suicides, homicides and accidental deaths remain a poorly identified public health issue in Nepal. Medico-legal autopsy reports can serve as an important tool in understanding fatalities from violence and injuries for countries similar to Nepal. Strengthening a regular mechanism for compilation and utilization of the information, however, remains a major challenge.     

Measuring contamination in an injury prevention randomized controlled trial

The objective was to study the external causes of death reported in the autopsy centre in Kathmandu, Nepal. A retrospective review of case report documentation of all violent and traumatic death autopsies was conducted in Kathmandu from mid-July 2000 to mid-July 2004. A total of 4383 autopsies were conducted by the Department of Forensic Medicine in Kathmandu. There were 1072 (25%) cases of suicide, 380 (9%) homicide, 1399 (32%) accidental, 598 (14%) deaths as a result of natural diseases and 923 (21%) undetermined causes of death. The number of males was almost twice that of females (sex ratio 2.2:1). Persons aged 15 to 44 years comprised about two-thirds of the total reported fatalities (65.4%). Suicides were mostly reported due to hanging, homicides mostly due to firearms and explosives, accidents mostly due to road traffic injuries. More than 60% of road traffic injuries resulted among pedestrians. Suicides, homicides and accidental deaths remain a poorly identified public health issue in Nepal. Medico-legal autopsy reports can serve as an important tool in understanding fatalities from violence and injuries for countries similar to Nepal. Strengthening a regular mechanism for compilation and utilization of the information, however, remains a major challenge.     

参与式预算影响地方公共支出结构的实证研究

在中国政治集权而经济分权的垂直控制体制下,如何提高基本公共服务在政府公共支出中的比重,一直是政府治理的热点问题。参与式预算是一种“自下而上”的责任机制,本文利用2002—2009年浙江省台州市72个乡镇的面板数据,首次实证检验了参与式预算与地方政府公共支出结构之间的关系,发现参与式预算的实施显著提高了与民生密切相关的教育、社会保障以及医疗卫生支出占预算内财政总支出的比重,降低了一般公共服务支出占预算内财政总支出的比重。在此基础上,本文给出了基层政府治理的政策建议。     

Religion and Business Ethics: The Lessons from Political Morality

The issue of whether religious belief should be an appropriate grounding for business ethics raises issues very similar to those raised in asking whether religious belief should be an appropriate grounding for political morality. In light of that fact that writings in political morality have been a common resource for contemporary business ethics, this paper presents contemporary arguments about the role of religion in political morality while noting the relevance of these debates for business ethics.The paper takes the position that rather than excluding religion from public morality, political morality (and business ethics) ought to take an inclusive, ecumenical approach. To argue this position and to present fully a range of literature normally not studied in business ethics circles, the paper presents and critiques the major contemporary authors in the field of political morality and contrasts them with the inclusionists who seek to keep public grounds open for all moral perspectives.     

Characteristics of unintentional carbon monoxide poisoning in Northwest Iran--Tabriz

The study describes the epidemiology and characteristics of unintentional carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning in Northwest Iran between 2007 and 2009 using multiple data sources including records of the main provider of emergency medical transportation, death certificate reports of the Legal Medicine Organization and through household surveys. A total of 1005 people were diagnosed with non-fatal CO poisoning. Ninety deaths were confirmed due to CO exposure. The ratio of unintentional CO-related poisoning cases in relation to all poisonings was 17.6%. Non-fatal CO poisoning was higher in females and adults aged 25-44 year olds, whereas the death rate was highest for those over 64 years. Domestic gas appliances were involved in 98% of non-fatal incidents and in all fatal poisonings, with gas water heaters (59.2%) and free-standing heaters (25.3%) being the most common causes of CO exposure. The main mechanisms of poisoning were faulty installations and defective devices. The main locations of incidents were the bathroom (48%) and living room (32%). Only 19% of the households reported that they were aware of the hazards of CO exposure before the incident, and no household reported having a CO detector at the time of the poisoning. The results suggest that interventions should be targeted at home environments and focus on at-risk groups such as women and elderly people. Setting stricter standards and environmental legislations and promotion of public awareness against the dangers of CO exposure are important considerations for overcoming this public health problem.     

Characteristics of unintentional carbon monoxide poisoning in Northwest Iran – Tabriz

The study describes the epidemiology and characteristics of unintentional carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning in Northwest Iran between 2007 and 2009 using multiple data sources including records of the main provider of emergency medical transportation, death certificate reports of the Legal Medicine Organization and through household surveys. A total of 1005 people were diagnosed with non-fatal CO poisoning. Ninety deaths were confirmed due to CO exposure. The ratio of unintentional CO-related poisoning cases in relation to all poisonings was 17.6%. Non-fatal CO poisoning was higher in females and adults aged 25–44 year olds, whereas the death rate was highest for those over 64 years. Domestic gas appliances were involved in 98% of non-fatal incidents and in all fatal poisonings, with gas water heaters (59.2%) and free-standing heaters (25.3%) being the most common causes of CO exposure. The main mechanisms of poisoning were faulty installations and defective devices. The main locations of incidents were the bathroom (48%) and living room (32%). Only 19% of the households reported that they were aware of the hazards of CO exposure before the incident, and no household reported having a CO detector at the time of the poisoning. The results suggest that interventions should be targeted at home environments and focus on at-risk groups such as women and elderly people. Setting stricter standards and environmental legislations and promotion of public awareness against the dangers of CO exposure are important considerations for overcoming this public health problem.     

Let’s Get Real (Time)! The potential of real-time marketing to catalyze the sharing of brand messages

Abstract

Social media are increasingly populated with brand messages that are linked to timely events, a practice that is also known as real-time marketing (RTM). In this study, we examine whether RTM is an effective strategy to boost sharing behaviour, and if so, what moment- and content-related characteristics contribute to its effectiveness. A content analysis of brand tweets from Nielsen’s top-100 advertisers (n?=?1500) shows that RTM positively affects word of mouth. RTM is especially a more effective strategy when brand messages are linked with unpredictable events (vs. predictable). This can be explained by the meaningfulness dimension of creativity; brands make a more meaningful connection to timely moments in unpredictable RTM than in predictable RTM. Furthermore, we found support for the beneficial effects of moment-driven visuals; RTM messages are shared more when public events are visually integrated with those messages. No such effect was found for moment-driven hashtags.     

Road traffic accidents and policy interventions in Korea

The high rate of road traffic crashes, in conjunction with the absence of order on the road, has long been considered a critical social problem in Korea. The Korean public seems to agree that high priority ought to be placed on policies for improving road safety. Using data from government sources, this study describes what has happened in the area of road traffic crashes since 1970, the causes of traffic crashes, and the relative importance of traffic injuries as a cause of death in Korea. Road traffic crashes in Korea increased nearly eightfold, from 37,000 in 1970 to 290,481 in 2000. The fatalities increased three-fold and injuries ten-fold over the same period. Road traffic injuries were the leading cause of death for people under 29. However, through multiple policy interventions, partly in response to the 2002 FIFA World Cup, about two thousand road traffic deaths and nine thousand traffic-related disabilities were averted in 2001 alone. The policy interventions included enforcement of penalties for seven risky driving behaviours, including drunk driving and speeding, installation of traffic-monitoring cameras, financial rewards for citizens who reported traffic violations, introduction of a road safety evaluation system, correction of accident black spots in existing roads, and road safety education programs. Through multiple policy interventions, road traffic crashes in Korea were reduced in a relatively short time period, along with their associated injuries and fatalities. However, road traffic crashes still pose a major public health problem, threatening the quality of life of the Korean people.     

Child and young adult injuries among long-term Afghan refugees

The aim was to determine the epidemiology and risk factors of childhood and young adult injuries among long-term Afghan refugees in Pakistan. A stratified cluster study was undertaken on a random sample of refugee households from June to July 2002. The Afghan Refugee Injury Survey was administered to the head of the household and recorded all injuries among household members within the last 3 months. Crude injury incidence was 12.3 per 1000 population among those aged 0-29 years (age groups 0-4, 5-14 and 15-29 years). Those aged 15-29 years had the highest injury rate (18.3 per 1000) closely followed by those aged 5-14 (12.3 per 1000) and much higher than the 0-4 years category (2.3 per 1000). Falls accounted for most injuries (48%) with both road traffic injuries and assaults accounting for 15%. The 15-29 year age group (odds ratio = 9.1) and those educated informally or for less than 6 years (odds ratio = 2.10), were associated with injury (p < 0.05) after adjustment for age, gender, occupation and education. Occupation was not associated with injury at a statistically significant level. Afghan refugee children and young adults are disproportionately affected by injuries, especially falls, than children in developed countries. Appropriate injury prevention strategies must be implemented among refugee camps with long-term refugees as part of their health programmes.     

Costs of unintentional injuries among children in an urban slum community in Kampala city,Uganda

Abstract

Unintentional injuries cause deaths, disabilities, productivity and financial losses and disproportionately affect children in low-income settings yet their cost remains under studied. This study determined the household out-of-pocket expenditure and missed school attendance due to unintentional childhood injuries in a Ugandan slum. We used a cross-sectional household survey design. Data were collected on occurrence and associated costs of unintentional injuries during a one-year period from July 2014 to June 2015. A total of 706 (44.7%) children who had suffered from injuries were reported in the one year period. More male children (N?=?415, 58.7%) suffered injuries than females (N?=?291, 41.2%). The average out-of-pocket expenditure on treating an injury was US $24.1 [standard deviation (SD)?=?±$62.8] and mean school days lost were 25 days (SD?=?±51.8). Road traffic injuries (RTIs) resulted in higher costs [mean difference was US $51.1 (95% CI: $11.4–$90.8)] compared to injuries that, for example, occurred at school. In a Ugandan slum community, unintentional childhood injuries resulted in high out-of-pocket expenditures and missed school attendance. The costs varied widely depending on external causes of the injury. These findings highlight the need to invest in population level injury prevention interventions to reduce injury costs by households.