Perceptions of opioid and other illicit drug exposure reported among first responders in the southeast, 2017 to 2018
Robin ThompsonWayne T. SandersonSusan WestneatTerry L. BunnAntionette LavenderAndrew A. TranCaroline HolsingerDwight FlammiaLei ZhangYing He
2
Citation
12
Reference
10
Related Paper
Citation Trend
Abstract:
Abstract Background Opioid use has risen dramatically in recent years, and its illegal use puts first responders at risk when intervening in overdoses. Synthetic opioids, like fentanyl with a potency 50 to 100 times greater than morphine, pose a great risk and accidental exposure via ingestion, inhalation, mucosal, or percutaneous routes, can potentially lead to fatal outcomes. Anecdotal media accounts in early 2017 of accidental occupational opioid exposure among first responders generated a national concern. Methods To identify first responders' recollections, beliefs, and concerns about possible occupational exposure to opioids and other drugs, researchers in Kentucky, Virginia, Mississippi, and Georgia administered an emailed, anonymous convenience sample survey. Results A total of 5955 surveys were analyzed with 15% of respondents reporting they believed they had been exposed to opioids, and of those, less than 1% reported experiencing health effects from perceived exposure. Over half (51%) of respondents reported being “very or somewhat concerned” about developing health effects from exposure to opioids. Half of respondents reported being unaware of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)/National Institutes for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) guidelines for preventing occupational‐related opioid exposures. Conclusions Only a small fraction of first responders believed they had experienced symptoms related to opioid exposure in overdose response calls, but half were concerned about potential exposures and half were unaware of the educational guidance on prevention available. The high level of concern regarding potential exposure warrants the need for the development and or enhancement of targeted educational training interventions and further dissemination of pre‐existing training interventions to ensure first responders have the knowledge and understanding of occupational opioid exposures and minimize stress associated with the potential rare exposures.Keywords:
Accidental
This study analysed the drinking patterns and motivation to change drinking behaviours among injury patients who acknowledged alcohol as a factor in their injuries. A cross-sectional study was conducted over 18 months at a Swedish emergency department. A total of 1930 injury patients aged 18 - 70 years were enrolled in the study (76.8% completion rate). Of those who reported drinking, 10% acknowledged alcohol as a factor in their injury. A patient was more likely to report a causal attribution of the injury to alcohol the higher the weekly intake and the higher the frequency of heavy episodic drinking. The motivation to change variables showed a similar pattern of increased likelihood of attributing a causal link of alcohol and injury with increasing discontent with drinking behaviours and increasing desire to change drinking behaviours. The findings suggest that the ability to measure causal attribution of alcohol to injuries could be a promising tool to help patients explore the association between their injuries and alcohol use and motivate patients to modify drinking behaviours in order to avoid future injuries.
Alcohol intake
Drunk drivers
Cite
Citations (15)
Recognizing that injuries and violence kill more than five million people worldwide annually and cause harm to millions more, the World Health Assembly (WHA) has repeatedly called on governments du...
Christian ministry
Cite
Citations (2)
The risk of injury to children riding bicycles has been previously documented. However, the specific risk arising from the use of bicycles as a mode of transportation to and from school is unknown. This study examines the incidence of bicycle related injuries among school age children.A comprehensive prospective injury registration system was established in Stavanger, Norway. Data were obtained from this system to identify bicycle related injuries occurring from 1990-3 to children aged 10-15. The incidence of injuries was computed for two groups of children: (1) children cycling to school and (2) children cycling for other purposes.352 children received medical treatment for bicycle related injuries, 12.6/1000 bicycle riders; 108 (30%) of the 352 children were injured while cycling to or from school. The incidence of bicycle related injuries was significantly higher for boys than girls. Seventy seven per cent of the injuries occurred in a non-collision accident, 9% in a collision with another bicycle, and 14% in a collision with a motor vehicle. Twenty per cent of the injured children sustained upper head injuries and 13% required inpatient treatment. Average maximum abbreviated injury severity (MAIS) score was similar for the injuries sustained during travel to/from school and other injuries.Bicycle related injuries occurring during travel to or from school are a significant contributor to the total incidence of bicycle related injuries. Increased attention among parents, school officials, public health officials, and medical professionals should be paid to this health risk.
Cycling
Cite
Citations (20)
Cite
Citations (0)
Pediatric firearm-related deaths and injuries are a national public health crisis. In this Special Review Article, we characterize the epidemiology of firearm-related injuries in the United States and discuss public health programs, the role of pediatricians, and legislative efforts to address this health crisis. Firearm-related injuries are leading causes of unintentional injury deaths in children and adolescents. Children are more likely to be victims of unintentional injuries, the majority of which occur in the home, and adolescents are more likely to suffer from intentional injuries due to either assault or suicide attempts. Guns are present in 18% to 64% of US households, with significant variability by geographic region. Almost 40% of parents erroneously believe their children are unaware of the storage location of household guns, and 22% of parents wrongly believe that their children have never handled household guns. Public health interventions to increase firearm safety have demonstrated varying results, but the most effective programs have provided free gun safety devices to families. Pediatricians should continue working to reduce gun violence by asking patients and their families about firearm access, encouraging safe storage, and supporting firearm-related injury prevention research. Pediatricians should also play a role in educating trainees about gun violence. From a legislative perspective, universal background checks have been shown to decrease firearm homicides across all ages, and child safety laws have been shown to decrease unintentional firearm deaths and suicide deaths in youth. A collective, data-driven public health approach is crucial to halt the epidemic of pediatric firearm-related injury.
Cite
Citations (61)
Unintentional injury mortality trends in children and adolescents in Lithuania between 1971 and 2005
The objectives of the study were to estimate mortality rate trends due to road traffic, drowning and fire/burns in children aged 0–14 years and in adolescents aged 15–19 years in Lithuania between the years 1971–2005. The data were obtained from Statistics Lithuania and the Health Information Centre. Trends were estimated by linear and polynomial regression. The study revealed that the child and adolescent unintentional injury mortality rates show declining trends. For children, the significant decreasing trends of mortality rates due to road traffic, drowning and fire/burns were observed. For adolescents there were significant decreasing trends for drowning deaths, and insignificant decreasing tendencies for deaths from fire/burns. There was an insignificant increased road traffic mortality rate trend for adolescent girls. For the adolescent boys group and for boys and girls together from the beginning of the study period there were increasing trends, followed by declining trends. In the last years, the increase was observed again.
Cite
Citations (16)
Cite
Citations (5)
Cite
Citations (17)
"Water safety and drowning prevention." International Journal of Injury Control and Safety Promotion, 20(3), pp. 207–208
Water safety
Cite
Citations (7)
Helmet use protects against head injury. Our objective was to assess whether parental knowledge of helmet safety is associated with helmet use in children, and whether a relationship exists between helmet ownership and other safety behaviors. Three hundred forty-one surveys were distributed to parents of third through fifth graders; 97% of parents believed that a helmet confers protection; 49% of parents reported that their child owns a helmet. Of the helmet owners, 27% reported that the child wears it more than 75% of the time. Seat belt usage was associated with helmet ownership (p=0.02) and frequency of wearing a helmet (p=0.04). Although parents are aware of the benefits, a barrier between helmet ownership and usage exists.
Child safety
Cite
Citations (11)