bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Prevalence of transportation safety measures portrayed in primetime US television programs and commercials
Authors: McGwin G , Modjarrad K , Reiland A , Tanner S , Rue L W 
Published: December 2006

Objective:To determine the prevalence of transportation related safety behaviors, such as seatbelt and helmet use, in primetime US television programs and commercials.Design:Cross sectional study.Setting:Top rated television programs and associated commercials from four major US television networks were reviewed for the prevalence of transportation safety related behaviors during a one month period in 2005. Programs were categorized according to the time and network of airing, program type, program rating, and—for commercials—type of product being advertisedSubjects:Occupants of automobiles, motorcycles, or bicycles in 507 instances in which a transportation scene was aired.Results:Seatbelt use was depicted in 62% and 86% of individuals in television program and commercial automobile scenes, respectively. The prevalence of motorcycle helmet use was 47% in television programs and 100% in commercials. Bicycle helmets were used in 9% of television programs and 84% of commercials. The frequency of seatbelt use in programs and commercials varied by television rating and genre but did not differ by network, time of airing, or age of character portrayed.Conclusions:The prevalence of safety related behaviors aired on major US networks during primetime slots is higher than previous reports but still much lower than national averages. Commercials, in contrast, portray transportation safety measures with a frequency that exceeds that of US television programs or most national surveys.
An exploration of human services system contacts prior to suicide in South Carolina: an expansion of the South Carolina Violent Death Reporting System
Authors: Weis M A , Bradberry C , Carter L P , Ferguson J , Kozareva D 
Published: December 2006

Objective:To link South Carolina Violent Death Reporting System (SCVDRS) data with state government human services databases, enabling expanded analysis of suicide in South Carolina and providing a model for other jurisdictions.Design:The SCVDRS database compiles data from vital statistics, coroner reports, and law enforcement incident and supplemental reports. The Office of Research and Statistics, South Carolina Budget and Control Board (ORS) created a “Data Warehouse”, to which a variety of state agencies and healthcare providers submit data on a regular basis. A unique identifier was used to link SCVDRS data to the Data Warehouse so that data may be analyzed on aggregate and case-specific levels. Year 2004 suicide data from SCVDRS were linked to South Carolina Uniform Billing codes from hospital in-patient and emergency room billing records, State Department of Mental Health service records, and criminal justice databases.Results:SCVDRS year 2004 suicide data are augmented by hospitalization and emergency room visit data and diagnoses; State Department of Mental Health service provision; and criminal involvement. Of the 491 suicides occurring in 2004, 282 linked with hospitalization and emergency room data, 196 linked with criminal history databases, and 91 had previous contact with the State Department of Mental Health.Conclusions:Linking SCVDRS data to additional human services databases enables greater examination of factors surrounding suicide. Results show the positive benefits of partnerships created through SCVDRS, illustrate how SCVDRS and human service databases may augment each other, and suggest practitioners should explore implementation of prevention programs in specific settings.
Seat belt use among Hispanic ethnic subgroups of national origin
Authors: Briggs N C , Schlundt D G , Levine R S , Goldzweig I A , Stinson N , Warren R C 
Published: December 2006

Objective:Findings from over a dozen studies of Hispanic/white disparities in seat belt use have been inconsistent, variably revealing that seat belt use prevalence among Hispanics is higher, lower, or comparable to use among non-Hispanics. In contrast to previous studies, this study investigates disparities in seat belt use by Hispanic subgroups of national origin.Methods:Data from the US Fatality Analysis Reporting System were used to compare seat belt use among 60 758 non-Hispanic whites and 6879 Hispanics (Mexican American (MA), n = 5175; Central American/South American (CASA), n = 876; Puerto Rican (PR), n = 412; Cuban (CU), n = 416) killed in crashes from 1999–2003. Logistic regression was used to adjust for age, gender, seat belt law, seat position, urban/rural region, and income.Results:Overall adjusted odds ratios for seat belt use among Hispanic subgroups, relative to non-Hispanic whites, were 1.04 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.85 to 1.28) for CUs, 1.17 (95% CI 0.95 to 1.44) for PRs, 1.33 (95% CI 1.25 to 1.42) for MAs, and 1.66 (95% CI 1.44 to 1.91) for CASAs. Relative to their non-Hispanic white counterparts, odds ratios among MA and CASA Hispanics were highest for men, younger age groups, drivers, primary law states, rural areas, and lower income quartiles.Conclusion:Among all Hispanic subgroups, seat belt use was at least as prevalent as among non-Hispanic whites. In the CASA and MA subgroups, which have the most rapidly growing subpopulations of immigrants, seat belt use was significantly more common than among whites.
Using NVDRS data for suicide prevention: promising practices in seven states
Authors: Powell V , Barber C W , Hedegaard H , Hempstead K , Hull-Jilly D , Shen X , Thorpe G E , Weis M A 
Published: December 2006

Objectives:This article describes how seven states participating in a new public health surveillance system for violent death in the US, the National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS), have used data to support local suicide prevention activities.Setting:The NVDRS is unique in that it augments death certificate data with event and circumstance information from death investigation reports filed by coroners, medical examiners, and law enforcement. These data illuminate why the victim ended his or her life, fatal injury patterns, and toxicological findings at death.Results:Current suicide prevention efforts using these data fall into three categories: describing the problem of suicide and identifying opportunities for intervention; collaborating on statewide suicide prevention plans; and forming new partnerships for targeted prevention initiatives. Taken together, these three areas show early promise for state suicide prevention efforts.Conclusions:In each of the states, NVDRS data analyses are being shared with injury prevention colleagues, suicide prevention planning groups and policymakers, and adapted to respond to unique state and local suicide problems. A powerful surveillance tool, the NVDRS is bringing new clarity and direction to these state-based efforts. The NVDRS can serve as a model for other countries looking to establish timely suicide surveillance systems and data driven prevention strategies.
Deaths from violence in North Carolina, 2004: how deaths differ in females and males
Authors: Sanford C , Marshall S W , Martin S L , Coyne-Beasley T , Waller A E , Cook P J , Norwood T , Demissie Z 
Published: December 2006

Objective:To identify gender differences in violent deaths in terms of incidence, circumstances, and methods of death.Design:Analysis of surveillance data.Setting:North Carolina, a state of 8.6 million residents on the eastern seaboard of the US.Subjects:1674 North Carolina residents who died from violence in the state during 2004.Methods:Information on violent deaths was collected by the North Carolina Violent Death Reporting System using data from death certificates, medical examiner reports, and law enforcement agency incidence reports.Results:Suicide and homicide rates were lower for females than males. For suicides, females were more likely than males to have a diagnosis of depression (55%v36%), a current mental health problem (66%v42%), or a history of suicide attempts (25%v13%). Firearms were the sole method of suicide in 65% of males and 42% of females. Poisonings were more common in female than male suicides (37%v12%). Male and female homicide victims were most likely to die from a handgun or a sharp instrument. Fifty seven percent of female homicides involved intimate partner violence, compared with 13% of male homicides. Among female homicides involving intimate partner violence, 78% occurred in the woman’s home. White females had a higher rate of suicide than African-American females, but African-American females had a higher rate of homicide than white females.Conclusions:The incidence, circumstances, and methods of fatal violence differ greatly between females and males. These differences should be taken into account in the development of violence prevention efforts.
Homicide of children aged 0–4 years, 2003–04: results from the National Violent Death Reporting System
Authors: Bennett M D , Hall J , Frazier L , Patel N , Barker L , Shaw K 
Published: December 2006

Introduction:To better understand, and ultimately prevent, infant/child homicide, it is imperative to more thoroughly elucidate the circumstances and conditions related to such instances. Data were obtained from the US National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS) to illuminate circumstances related to homicide among children aged 4 years or less, and to identify demographic groups which may be at increased risk.Methods:The NVDRS is an active surveillance system that provides comprehensive information on all violent deaths that occur within participating states within the US. Standard statistical tests were conducted to determine homicide rates among children ages 0–4 across states that provided data for both 2003 and 2004 (Alaska, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Oregon, South Carolina, and Virginia). These data were further used to investigate infant/child homicides by race, gender, and other relevant circumstances (for example, victim-suspect relationship, weapon type, and location of homicide). A Poisson regression model was fitted to the sample data to investigate the multivariate relationship between the infant/child homicide rate and available demographic information.Results:The 2003 homicide rate for children ages 0–4 was 3.0 per 100 000 population. The 2004 homicide rate was 2.5 per 100 000 population. African Americans were 4.2 times as likely as whites to be victims of homicide. Suspects were commonly parents/caregivers. The vast majority of infant/child homicides occurred in houses or apartments, using weapons that include household objects.Conclusion:Homicides of infants and young children are most often committed in the home, by parents/caregivers, using “weapons of opportunity”. This suggests that the risk of infant/child homicide is greatest within the primary care giving environment. Moreover, the use of “weapons of opportunity” may be indicative of maladaptive stress responses. Prevention and intervention strategies to reduce infant/child homicide should target the home environment and attend to maladaptive stress responses.
Characteristics of homicide followed by suicide incidents in multiple states, 2003–04
Authors: Bossarte R M , Simon T R , Barker L 
Published: December 2006

Objective:To calculate the prevalence of homicide followed by suicide (homicide/suicide) and provide contextual information on the incidents and demographic information about the individuals involved using data from a surveillance system that is uniquely equipped to study homicide/suicide.Methods:Data are from the National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS). This active state-based surveillance system includes data from seven states for 2003 and 13 states for 2004. The incident-level structure facilitates identification of homicide/suicide incidents.Results:Within participating states, 65 homicide/suicide incidents (homicide rate  =  0.230/100 000) occurred in 2003 and 144 incidents (homicide rate  =  0.238/100 000) occurred in 2004. Most victims (58%) were a current or former intimate partner of the perpetrator. Among all male perpetrators of intimate partner homicide 30.6% were also suicides. A substantial proportion of the victims (13.7%) were the children of the perpetrator. Overall, most victims (74.6%) were female and most perpetrators were male (91.9%). A recent history of legal problems (25.3%), or financial problems (9.3%) was common among the perpetrators.Conclusions:The results support earlier research documenting the importance of intimate partner violence (IPV) and situational stressors on homicide/suicide. These results suggest that efforts to provide assistance to families in crisis and enhance the safety of IPV victims are needed to reduce risk for homicide/suicide. The consistency of the results from the NVDRS with those from past studies and the comprehensive information available in the NVDRS highlight the promise of this system for studying homicide/suicide incidents and for evaluating the impact of prevention policies and programs.
Drinking, drugs and driving in Ireland: more evidence for action
Authors: Fitzpatrick P , Daly L , Leavy C P , Cusack D A 
Published: December 2006

Objective:To examine the prevalence of drug positivity among drivers suspected of driving under the influence of an intoxicant, and consequently apprehended by the police in Ireland.Design:2000 specimens were selected for drug analysis, 1000 with results under the limit for alcohol and 1000 over the limit. The limit for alcohol is 80 mg/100 ml in blood and 107 mg/100 ml in urine. Seven drugs/drug classes were examined; amphetamines, methamphetamines, benzodiazapines, cannabinoids, cocaine, opiates and methadone.Results:331 (33.1%) of the drivers under the legal limit for alcohol tested positive for one or more of the relevant drugs, and the corresponding figures of drivers over the limit was 142 (14.2%; p<0.001). Using weighted analysis, this corresponds to 15.7% (95% confidence interval (CI) 13.5% to 18.1%) of all tested drivers (15.8% in men and 14.5% in women). Among drivers who had minimal blood alcohol levels, 67.9% (95% CI 61.2% to 74.1%) were taking at least one type of drug. The prevalence of taking drugs reduced steadily as alcohol concentrations increased, but still remained as high as 11.1% (95% CI 8.3% to 14.6%) for drivers with blood alcohol concentrations >200 mg/100 ml. Being under the limit for alcohol, stopped in a city area, stopped between 6 am and 4 pm, or 4 pm and 9 pm, and being of a younger age were each independently associated with drug positivity.Conclusions:There are immediate implications for the evidential breath alcohol program and for checkpoints; in the event of a nil or low alcohol reading being obtained, a separate blood or urine specimen should be sought for analysis, which is currently non-routine.
From targeted “black spots” to area-wide pedestrian safety
Authors: Morency P , Cloutier M-S 
Published: December 2006

Objective:To describe and illustrate the geographic distribution of pedestrian crash sites in an urban setting (Montreal, Canada) with an alternative data source.Methods:Data on pedestrian victims were extracted for a 5-year period (1999–2003) from ambulance services information systems. The locations of crash sites and pedestrian victim density were mapped using a geographic information system. Pedestrian “black spots” were defined as sites where there had been at least eight pedestrian victims.Results:The 22 identified black spots represent only 1% of all city intersections with at least one victim and 4% of all injured pedestrians, whereas 5082 victims were injured at >3500 different crash sites. The number and population rates of injured pedestrians are greater in central boroughs. Accordingly, the density of pedestrian victims is much higher in central boroughs. Over the 5-year period, in some central boroughs, pedestrian crashes occurred in up to 26% of intersections.Conclusions:Ambulance information systems were relevant to map pedestrian crash sites. Most pedestrians were injured at locations that would have been missed by the black spot approach. This high-risk preventive strategy cannot substantially reduce the total number of injured or the insecurity that many pedestrians experience when walking. Considering the large number and widespread occurrence of pedestrian crashes in Montreal, prevention strategies should include comprehensive environmental measures such as global reduction of traffic volume and speed.
Race/ethnicity, substance abuse, and mental illness among suicide victims in 13 US states: 2004 data from the National Violent Death Reporting System
Authors: Karch D L , Barker L , Strine T W 
Published: December 2006

Objective:To calculate the prevalence of substance abuse and mental illness among suicide victims of different racial/ethnic groups and to identify race/ethnicity trends in mental health and substance abuse that may be used to improve suicide prevention.Methods:Data are from the National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS), a state-based data integration system that, for 2004, includes data from 13 US states. The NVDRS integrates medical examiner, toxicology, death certificate, and law enforcement data.Results:Within participating states, for data year 2004, 6865 suicide incidents in which race/ethnicity are known were identified. This included 5797 (84.4%) non-Hispanic whites, 501 (7.3%) non-Hispanic blacks, 257 (3.7%) Hispanics, and 310 (4.5%) persons from other racial/ethnic groups. At the time of the suicide event, non-Hispanic blacks had lower blood alcohol contents than other groups. Non-Hispanic whites had less cocaine but more antidepressants and opiates. There were no differences in the levels of amphetamines or marijuana by race/ethnicity. Hispanics were less likely to have been diagnosed with a mental illness or to have received treatment, although family reports of depression were comparable to non-Hispanic whites and other racial/ethnic groups. Non-Hispanic whites were more likely to be diagnosed with depression or bipolar disorder and non-Hispanic blacks with schizophrenia. Comorbid substance abuse and mental health problems were more likely among non-Hispanic whites and non-Hispanic blacks, while Hispanics were more likely to have a substance abuse problem without comorbid mental health problems.Conclusion:The results support earlier research documenting differences in race/ethnicity, substance abuse, and mental health problems as they relate to completed suicide. The data suggest that suicide prevention efforts must address not only substance abuse and mental health problems in general, but the unique personal, family, and social characteristics of different racial/ethnic groups.
Australia’s 1996 gun law reforms: faster falls in firearm deaths, firearm suicides, and a decade without mass shootings
Authors: Chapman S , Alpers P , Agho K , Jones M 
Published: December 2006

Background:After a 1996 firearm massacre in Tasmania in which 35 people died, Australian governments united to remove semi-automatic and pump-action shotguns and rifles from civilian possession, as a key component of gun law reforms.Objective:To determine whether Australia’s 1996 major gun law reforms were associated with changes in rates of mass firearm homicides, total firearm deaths, firearm homicides and firearm suicides, and whether there were any apparent method substitution effects for total homicides and suicides.Design:Observational study using official statistics. Negative binomial regression analysis of changes in firearm death rates and comparison of trends in pre–post gun law reform firearm-related mass killings.Setting:Australia, 1979–2003.Main outcome measures:Changes in trends of total firearm death rates, mass fatal shooting incidents, rates of firearm homicide, suicide and unintentional firearm deaths, and of total homicides and suicides per 100 000 population.Results:In the 18 years before the gun law reforms, there were 13 mass shootings in Australia, and none in the 10.5 years afterwards. Declines in firearm-related deaths before the law reforms accelerated after the reforms for total firearm deaths (p = 0.04), firearm suicides (p = 0.007) and firearm homicides (p = 0.15), but not for the smallest category of unintentional firearm deaths, which increased. No evidence of substitution effect for suicides or homicides was observed. The rates per 100 000 of total firearm deaths, firearm homicides and firearm suicides all at least doubled their existing rates of decline after the revised gun laws.Conclusions:Australia’s 1996 gun law reforms were followed by more than a decade free of fatal mass shootings, and accelerated declines in firearm deaths, particularly suicides. Total homicide rates followed the same pattern. Removing large numbers of rapid-firing firearms from civilians may be an effective way of reducing mass shootings, firearm homicides and firearm suicides.
The US National Violent Death Reporting System: domestic and international lessons for violence injury surveillance
Authors: Weiss H B , Gutierrez M I , Harrison J , Matzopoulos R 
Published: December 2006

Objectives:This article reviews and comments on the development, strengths and limitations of the US National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS) from a variety of domestic and international perspectives.Methods:The authors were provided preliminary copies of the manuscripts in this special edition and examined them to understand and put in context the elements and uses of the NVDRS so far. Their comments are based on their reading and interpretation of these papers plus their own combined experience in injury and public health surveillance from four different countries: the US, Colombia, Australia, and South Africa.Results:The NVDRS is bigger than the sum of its parts because it links existing data from multiple sources. Its adoption of modern relational database technologies offers advantages over traditional injury surveillance databases and creates new opportunities for understanding, collaboration, and partnerships. Challenges include overcoming resource limitations so that it can become a truly national system, measuring and improving its sensitivity and comparability, and the need to examine mortality in context with serious non-fatal violent events.Conclusions:The NVDRS is an important work in progress for the US. Each country should examine its own needs, traditions, resources, and existing infrastructure when deciding what kind of violence surveillance system to develop. However, collaboration in developing common definitions and classifications provides an important foundation for international comparisons.
English as an International Language in Non-Native Settings in an Era of Globalization
Authors: Sasaki Masamichi , Suzuki Tatsuzo , Yoneda Masato 
Published: December 2006

AbstractLanguage is an unquestionable prerequisite for human communication. As such the study of language is intrinsic to sociology. This paper explores briefly the importance of language study to sociology. The apparent dominance of English as the international language is discussed in some detail. The paper's principal focus is to examine cross-national attitudes about English as the international language of non-English language speaking peoples and of peoples who speak English only as a foreign language. Extensive empirical findings about these attitudes are examined in an effort to predict the future direction of the spread of English as international language. Though many of the findings suggest extraordinary levels of ambivalence about English as international language, the results suggest many opportunities for further study.