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Injury Prevention in the News
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May is Global Youth Traffic Safety Month
The National Organizations for Youth Safety reminds us that May is Global Youth Traffic Safety Month. Youth led activities are taking place across the country and globe in recognition of this safety observance. Read more on NOYS website. A toolkit is also available to promote the safety observance through social media and a guide on activities to conduct.
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The opioid overdose epidemic is devastating families and communities across America. Whether you’re a professional working in preventing drug abuse or treating addiction, or a healthcare provider, first responder, or law enforcement officer the opioid epidemic is likely affecting you, someone you love, or your community.
According to the most recent CDC data we know that most drug overdose deaths in the United States involve an opioid. Some numbers to know are:
- Opioids were involved in more than 33,000 deaths in 2015.
- Sixty three percent of drug overdose deaths in 2015 involved an opioid.
- Every day, 91 Americans die from an opioid-related overdose.
- The number of overdose deaths involving opioids has quadrupled since 1999.
- Heroin-related overdose deaths increased by 21 percent from 2014 to 2015.
Any one of us can be called to fight on the frontlines of this public health crisis. Do you know what you can do to help?
- Learn more about opioids so you can help people who are most at risk for opioid use disorder and overdose in your community.
- Provide tools and information for healthcare professionals working on overdose prevention and treatment.
- Help those struggling with opioid use disorder find the right care and treatment.
- Increase awareness and share best practices with providers and patients in your community.
Click
here to read more
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2017 Child Passenger Safety Trainings
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Are you interested in helping parents and care givers of children with their car seats? If you are, then sign up for one of the child passenger safety technician courses listed below. Space is limited to 20 participants per class. Visit the
National CPS certification website to find out more about what a CPS does.
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Leading Causes of Fatal and Nonfatal Unintentional Injury for Children and Teens and the Role of Lifestyle Clinicians
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A report published in the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine found that about 1 in 5 child deaths is a result of unintentional injury.
The leading causes of unintentional injury vary by age. The report provides national fatal and nonfatal data for children and teens by age, sex and race/ethnicity.
Prevention strategies for the most common causes are highlighted. Opportunities for lifestyle clinicians to effectively guide their patients and their parents are discussed.
To read the full report click here.
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Heatstroke kills children left in vehicles and it does not have to be hot outside.
NHTSA has a fact sheet on tips about heatstroke in vehicles and how to prevent it.
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May is National Bike Month, and Wednesday May 10th, is Bike to School Day. Many children ages 5 to 14 are seen in emergency rooms for injuries related to biking. Helmets reduce the risk of severe brain injuries by 88%. Only 45% of children under 14 wear bike helmets.
Visit
SafeKids.org to learn tips to keep kids safe when they are biking.
Safety in Seconds: Bike Helmet Fit Test
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Distracted driving is a major cause for car crashes, injuries and deaths. To address this public health problem, an educational campaign is available for use called
You Have One Job,
Put the Phone Down and Drive.
In order to support community action and awareness, a campaign tool kit is available. The toolkit contains Twitter and Facebook posts, posters, radio spots and billboards. The toolkit is available at
Distracted Driving Tooklit and contains instructions for use. You can also join the Drive Smart Nebraska's
Twitter and
Facebook pages.
Be on the lookout for placed radio, FB and Twitter posts and radio ads throughout the month.
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Pedestrian and Bicyclist Safety
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With spring comes warmer weather, and along with that more pedestrians and non-motor vehicles sharing the streets and roadways. With the changing temperature, more pedestrians will be using intersections and crosswalks, increasing risk of accidents. Similarly, more bicyclist will begin to share the road with motor vehicles. Cyclists do have a right to share roadways with motor vehicles, and in some cases are even required by law to use roads instead of sidewalks. When in a populated area, or sharing the road be aware of pedestrians and cyclist; and when crossing or using the roads be cautious of traffic and motor vehicles.
The NHTSA has published traffic safety fact sheets for pedestrians and bicyclists. The various info sheets can be found below.
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Falls and Fractures:
Take the Right Steps
A simple thing can change your life—like tripping on a rug or slipping on a wet floor. If you fall, you could break a bone, like thousands of older men and women do each year. A broken bone might not sound awful. But, for older people, a break can be the start of more serious problems.
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Many things can cause a fall. Your eyesight, hearing, and reflexes might not be as sharp as they were when you were younger. Diabetes, heart disease, or problems with your thyroid, nerves, feet, or blood vessels can affect your balance. Some medicines can make you feel dizzy or sleepy, making you more likely to fall.
But don’t let a fear of falling keep you from being active. Doing things like getting together with friends, gardening, walking, or going to the local senior center help you stay healthy. The good news is that there are simple ways you can prevent most falls.
- Stay physically active
- Have your eyes and hearing tested
- Find out the side effects of medication
- Get enough sleep
- Use a walking stick or cane if you need help feeling steady
For more information, visit the National Institute on Aging
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Traumatic Brain Injury Report, 2007 and 2013
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Traumatic brain injury (TBI) has short- and long-term adverse clinical outcomes, including death and disability. TBI can be caused by a number of principal mechanisms, including motor-vehicle crashes, falls, and assaults. The CDC published a report describing the estimated incidence of TBI-related
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In 2013, a total of 2.8 million TBI-ERHDs occurred in the United States. This consisted of approximately 2.5 million TBI-related ER visits, approximately 282,000 TBI-related hospitalizations, and approximately 56,000 TBI-related deaths. Of the 149 million total injury and noninjury-related ERHDs that occurred in the United States in 2013, TBIs were diagnosed in 1.9% of these. The proportion of TBI-related injuries accounted for approximately one of every 50 ED visits (2.2%).
To read the full report from the CDC, click
here.
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Prescription Drug Overdose
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Most Adolescents Who Abuse Opioid Drugs Were First Medically Prescribed the Drugs, Study Finds
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The U.S. consumes the majority of the world's prescription opioid supply, and studies show this is a growing trend. One consequence is an increase in the non-medical use of opioids, and related emergency department visits and overdose deaths.
A study funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse found a strong correlation between medical and non-medical opioid use among adolescents, particularly boys. For those who had abused the drugs, they were generally prescribed opioids by a doctor first.
Researchers concluded that due to this correlation between prescription and non-prescription opioid use in adolescents, health professionals who prescribe opioids to adolescents should be concerned, but that more research is needed to examine the associations between medical use of prescription opioids, non-medical use, and opioid use disorders over the lifespan.
To read the full article click here.
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NEW Online Training for Providers Launches
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In April, CDC launched the first in a series of interactive, online trainings for healthcare providers. These trainings feature the recommendations in the Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain, providing sample scenarios, feedback, and resources. This series is intended to help healthcare providers:
- Communicate effectively with patients about opioid use
- Decide when to initiate or continue opioid therapy
- Offer appropriate nonopioid options for pain management
- Assess and address risks and harms of opioid use
The first training, and all future ones to be added, will be available for continuing education credit and can be found on the
Training web page.
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National Trauma Awareness Month May 2017
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In 2017 National Trauma Awareness month celebrates its 29th year of recognition. In acknowledgement of this anniversary the
American Trauma Society in collaboration with the
Society of Trauma Nurses would like to recognize its support of the
StopTheBleed campaign.
StopTheBleed is a nationwide campaign focused on improving public awareness about how to recognize and intervene when someone is suffering from uncontrolled bleeding. Bleeding can be severe and can take the life of someone in minutes, potentially before trained personnel can arrive and intervene. Uncontrolled bleeding can be the result of an accident or even a disaster, and with basic tools bystanders can save lives. The
StopTheBleed campaigns focus is to train individuals with little or no medical background to quickly act when severe bleeding occurs.
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Safety Observances
Bicycle Safety Month
May 2017
May 8, 2017
May 15-June 4
May 22-June 4
National Ride to Work Day
June 19
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Peg Ogea-Ginsburg, MA
Injury Prevention Program Coordinator
Jason Kerkman, MPH
Safe Kids Nebraska Coordinator
Amy Reynoldson
Prescription Drug Overdose Prevention Coordinator
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Jeanne Bietz, MA Motor Vehicle Policy Grant Project Coordinator jeanne.bietz@nebraska.gov
Ashley Newmyer, MPH, CPH
Epidemiology Surveillance Coordinator
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Injury Prevention and Control E-News is a monthly newsletter distributed to partners of the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services Injury Prevention and Control Program.
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Email DHHS.injury@nebraska.gov with any suggestions or feedback.
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