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At least 433 records · Page 24Linked to original sources
PubMed1990

Real-ear attenuation of earmuffs in normal-hearing and hearing-impaired individuals.

Many of the 9 million workers exposed to average noise levels of 85 dB (A) and above are required to wear hearing protection devices, and many of these workers have already developed noise-induced hearing impairments. There is some evidence in the literature that hearing-impaired users may not receive as much attenuation from hearing protectors as normal-hearing users. This study assessed real-ear attenuation at threshold for ten normal-hearing and ten hearing-impaired subjects using a set of David Clark 10A earmuffs. Testing procedures followed the specifications of ANSI S12.6-1984. The results showed that the hearing-impaired subjects received slightly more attenuation than the normal-hearing subjects at all frequencies, but these differences were not statistically significant. These results provide additional support to the finding that hearing protection devices are capable of providing as much attenuation to hearing-impaired users as they do to normal-hearing individuals.

Audiometry, Pure-Tone↗
PubMed2004

The role of the helmet in the prevention of traumatic brain injuries.

Today, traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) exceed 1 million cases per year. Tens of thousands of people die and hundreds of thousands of people are hospitalized. The health care costs exceed US dollars 50 billion. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate that people with mild TBIs who are not hospitalized add another US dollars 17 billion to the total dollars spent on care. These high frequencies and costs place a high priority on programs and procedures to minimize the number of injuries and to reduce the severity of those that occur. One of these programs focuses on the protective devices worn by the people that work and play in environments where there is an identified risk of TBI. Because these environments cover a wide variety of activities, the design and effectiveness of these protective devices must be specific to the nature of the activity and the person they are designed to protect.

Accidents, Occupational↗
PubMed2000

Risk of injury through snowboarding.

OBJECTIVE: Survey of a group of snowboarders and study of their injuries, as well as analysis of the risk of injury considering the time spent on the snowboard. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Of 7,221 students participating in winter sport programs organized by Austrian schools, 2,745 of those riding snowboards were asked to fill out questionnaires pertaining to demographics, their experience level, equipment, snowboard riding habits, and associated injuries. RESULTS: A total of 2,579 snowboarders (94%), who spent a total of 10,119 days snowboarding, filled out a questionnaire which could be evaluated. A total of 152 snowboarders had suffered a mean of 10.6 injuries per 1,000 days of snowboarding, which required medical care; 5.4/1,000 injuries were moderate or severe. The most common injuries were to the wrist (32%), the hand (20%), and the head (11%). The rate of injury was especially high during the first half-day (roughly 3 hours). Use of wrist protection devices reduced injuries to the wrist from 2 to 0.5% (p = 0.048). CONCLUSION: Risk of snowboard related injury was highest in beginners. Through the use of wrist protection devices, the incidence of the most common injuries was dramatically reduced.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Evaluation of the efficacy of a bismuth shield during CT examinations.

PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of a bismuth shield (Attenurad F&L Medical Products, Vandergrift, PA) in reducing the dose to surface organs during Computed Tomography (CT) examinations. The shield was evaluated for reduction of the dose to breast during chest examinations and reduction of the dose to the lens of the eye during brain examinations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The dose was measured on patients (10 for the eye and 30 for the breast), and on an anthropomorphic phantom (Alderson Rando). The reduction of image quality was evaluated both qualitatively by an expert radiologist, and in terms of increased noise on the phantom images (Rando). RESULTS: The use of the protective device reduced the dose by 34% to the breast and 50% to the lens. These figures are confirmed by the measurements taken both on patients and on the anthropomorphic phantom. The protective device reduced image quality in the regions immediately beneath it, but in the cases considered, those regions were of no diagnostic interest, while in the brain and lung regions, the quality is only slightly reduced, always allowing a correct diagnostic evaluation. Numerical analysis also led to the conclusion that a modest increase in noise is only statistically significant for the anterior portions of the lung. When present, the artifacts appeared outside the field of clinical interest. That is mainly due to the use of a foam pad (0.7 - 1 cm thick) to protect the breast. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: The protection proved effective both in the case of breast and of lens, leading to a significant reduction in dose, without excessively affecting image quality. The shield proved easy to use, and did not increase the examination time.

Artifacts↗
PubMed2002

Angioplasty and stenting of the cervical carotid bifurcation: report of a 4-year series.

Over a period of 46 months, 71 cervical carotid bifurcation stenotic lesions were treated by angioplasty and/or stenting. The stenosis was atherosclerotic in 61 cases, post-surgical or post-radiation in ten cases. The initial technical choice was that of primary stenting without cerebral protection; this attitude has been modified in recent cases by use of a protection balloon or filter. A technical success rate of 98% was achieved (71 cases treated out of 73 attempted). From the angiographic point of view, in all cases good restoration of the luminal diameter was obtained. There were three completely regressive minor strokes (4.2%), and one major stroke (1.4%). A follow-up of at least 1 year is available for 50 patients; a restenosis of less than 50% occurred in four (8%). In conclusion, angioplasty and stenting of the cervical carotid bifurcation is feasible in relatively safe conditions. However, analysis of the case complicated by a major stroke and the evolution of protection devices in recent years suggest the use of such devices for brain protection. The most suitable condition for endovascular treatment is considered to be an intermediate stenosis, i.e. with a residual lumen for safe passage of the devices used, without need for dangerous friction on plaque surfaces. The most dangerous phase of the treatment is dilation of the plaque by the balloon; deployment of an oversized stent without dilation is desirable whenever possible.

Aged↗
PubMed2000

Changing trends in paintball sport-related ocular injuries.

OBJECTIVES: To describe the type and severity of ocular injuries caused by paintballs, to summarize the outcomes, to determine if the injury occurred in a commercial or noncommercial setting, to compare the number of injuries in each setting as a function of time, and to ascertain whether eye-protective devices were worn and why they were removed. DESIGN: Retrospective analysis of 35 patients who sustained ocular injuries caused by paintballs and underwent evaluation and treatment at an eye hospital from January 1, 1985, to September 30, 1998. Thirty-five eyes of 35 patients underwent a complete ocular examination, diagnostic testing, and surgical intervention when indicated. RESULTS: All patients were male (average age, 22 years). Twenty-six patients (74%) had an initial visual acuity of 20/200 or worse, and visual acuity in 16 (46%) remained 20/200 or worse on follow-up (range, 2 weeks to 22 months). Traumatic hyphema was seen in 21 patients (60%). Twenty-two patients (63%) had access to goggles, 7 (33%) of whom removed them due to fogging before the injury. Injuries sustained after 1995 were 5.8 times (relative risk, 5.8; 95% confidence interval, 1.5-22.4) more likely to occur during a noncommercial war game than those occurring in 1995 or before. CONCLUSIONS: As the popularity of war games increases, so does the potential for serious ocular injury caused by paint pellet guns. Most injuries seen after 1995 occurred in noncommercial war game settings, where the use of eye-protective devices is not required. Industry standards for eye protection have been developed recently and should be implemented.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

Needlestick-prevention devices. Disposable syringes and injection needles.

Needlestick-prevention devices (NPDs) are an essential tool for protecting healthcare workers from injuries that could result in exposure to bloodborne pathogens. More than a dozen NPD varieties are available. They generally take the same form as conventional (nonsafety) sharps but incorporate some type of safety design--for example, a shield or a needle-retracting mechanism. In this Evaluation, we focus on protective devices that are used in place of conventional syringes and injection needles--namely, disposable protective syringes and needle guards. We tested 14 products from 8 suppliers. We give Preferred ratings to three products, all of which are needle-retracting syringes. When used correctly, these devices provide the best protection available. However, their primary safety advantage--preremoval activation--can be negated if the user chooses to activate the safety mechanism after removing the needle from the patient. For many facilities, one of the seven models we rate Acceptable might be a better choice. We caution that our ratings should not be the sole basis of a purchase decision. Staff members need to conduct a hands-on assessment of the available products to identify those that best meet their needs. We also stress that any NPD--even one we rate Not Recommended--is preferable to using no protective device at all.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMed2004

Cost of treating preventable minor ocular injuries in Rijeka, Croatia.

AIM: To determine the cost of medical services for the treatment of preventable minor ocular injuries in Rijeka, Croatia. METHODS: We analyzed data on 3,755 outpatients (3,363 men and 392 women) treated for eye injuries at the Department of Ophthalmology, Rijeka University Hospital, from April 2002 to March 2003. Median age of patients was 37 years (range, 26-47 years). Data were collected with a questionnaire designed for the study, which included sociodemographic data, type of injury, time and place of injury, and preventability. We carried out cost analysis of the procedures and determined the length of hospital stay. RESULTS: Out of 5,143 emergencies, minor eye injuries comprised 3,755 cases (73%). Minor injuries were potentially preventable in 90% of cases, as they resulted from nonuse or misuse of obligatory protection devices. Total one-year cost of preventable eye injuries was 135,529.55 Euros. CONCLUSION: Preventable minor eye injuries in Rijeka, Croatia, cause a serious medical and economic burden. Stricter adherence to the use of protection devices should be promoted.

Accidents, Occupational↗
PubMed1981

Sports eye injuries a preventable disease.

Each year, sports are responsible for over 100.000 preventable eye injuries. A face-protector standard was developed for hockey. Certified protectors effectively eliminated eye and face injuries to 1,200,000 players averting a projected 70,000 injuries and saving over $10,000,000 in medical expenses annually. The principle of absorbing energy in a protective device before the eye is injured is applied to other sports (racket sports, baseball, basketball). Recommendations are made on eye protection for athletes. Better data collection and standards for sports and children's eyewear are encouraged.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2002

Description of the National Pressure Ulcer Long-Term Care Study.

OBJECTIVES: To describe and provide baseline data from The National Pressure Ulcer Long-Term Care Study (NPULS). DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study of detailed resident characteristics, treatments, and outcomes using convenience sampling. SETTING: One hundred nine long-term care facilities throughout the United States. PARTICIPANTS: Two thousand four hundred twenty adult residents aged 18 and older, with a length of stay of 14 days or longer and who were at risk of developing a pressure ulcer, as defined by a Braden Scale for Predicting Pressure Sore Risk MEASUREMENTS: More than 500 characteristics were obtained for each resident over a 12-week period. This paper describes the NPULS database with respect to the resident (sex, age, diagnoses, severity of illness scores, Braden Scale score, activities of daily living, cognitive ability, mobility, bowel or bladder incontinence, laboratory values, nutritional assessment, and pressure ulcer assessment documentation), treatment (nutritional interventions, pressure relieving devices, incontinence interventions, protective devices, turning schedules, and pressure ulcer treatments), and outcome variables (pressure ulcer development and healing, pressure ulcer and systemic infection, changes in nutritional status, and discharge disposition) associated with pressure ulcers. Descriptive statistics and bivariate associations were used for preliminary analyses of resident, treatment, and outcome characteristics. RESULTS: The average age +/- standard deviation was 79.7 +/- 14.2; 70% of the residents were female. Fifty-three percent of residents (n = 1,293) were at risk of developing a pressure ulcer but never developed one during the study (Group 1), 19% developed a new pressure ulcer during the study (n = 457) (Group 2), 22% had an existing pressure ulcer (n = 534) (Group 3), and 6% had an existing pressure ulcer and developed a new ulcer during the study (n = 136) (Group 4). Residents who developed a new pressure ulcer (Group 2) were more likely to be female, older, cognitively impaired, and immobile than residents who had an existing pressure ulcer (Group 3). CONCLUSIONS: This baseline study describes the NPULS database with respect to the resident, treatment, and outcome variables associated with pressure ulcers. Future studies will focus on multivariate analyses for risk factor prediction of pressure ulcer development and pressure ulcer healing. Research-based pressure ulcer prevention and treatment protocols can then be developed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2002

[Personal protection against biological warfare agents].

Exposure to biological warfare agents may occur in several ways, the most prominent being aerosol infection, droplet infection, common component infection and via physical contact. These agents may enter the body through the respiratory tract, mucous membranes and through the skin. The mechanism of exposure and the route of entry of the specific agent will dictate the appropriate protection required. Available protective equipment include respiratory protective devices, full face protective masks and surgical masks for respiratory protection, battle dress overgarments, protective gloves and overboots for skin protection. Full protection is needed when the agent has not been identified. When the biological agent is known, the protective measures should be determined by its characteristics. Protection may include several levels of precautions: standard risk, aerosol infection, droplet infection and contact infection. This paper describes the routes of exposure to biological warfare agents, the available protective equipment and the precautions needed when treating biowarfare casualties.

Biological Warfare↗
PubMed2003

Latex protein allergy and your choice of gloves: a balanced consideration.

Natural rubber gloves have been acknowledged as the best protective devices available for protecting health care personnel and their patients against viral transmission and infectious fluids. Yet, with the adoption of standard safety precautions and the increase in the use of gloves, an increasing number of people are being affected with latex allergy. Negative publicity related to latex allergy has resulted in health care personnel deciding against using the highly protective natural rubber gloves. The relationship between natural rubber gloves and latex protein allergy needs to be better understood in order for health care professionals to make an informed choice in their selection of gloves.

Biodegradation, Environmental↗
PubMed1999

Trends in compliance with the guidelines for preventing the transmission of Mycobacterium tuberculosis among New Jersey hospitals, 1989 to 1996.

OBJECTIVE: To determine trends in compliance with the guidelines for preventing the transmission of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in healthcare facilities among New Jersey hospitals from 1989 through 1996. DESIGN: A voluntary questionnaire was sent to all 96 New Jersey hospitals in 1992. The 53 that responded were resurveyed in 1996. RESULTS: Of the 96 hospitals surveyed in 1992, 53 (55%) returned a completed questionnaire; 33 (64%) were community, nonteaching hospitals. In 1991, patients with tuberculosis (TB) were admitted at 38 (72%) of 53 hospitals, and from 1989 through 1991, patients with multidrug-resistant (MDR) TB were admitted at 15 (29%) of 52 hospitals. Twenty-nine (57%) of 51 reported having rooms meeting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) criteria for acid-fast bacilli (AFB) isolation. A nonfitted surgical mask was used as a respiratory protective device by healthcare workers (HCWs) at 28 (55%) of 51 hospitals. Attending physicians were included in tuberculin skin-testing (TST) programs at 5 (11%) of 45 hospitals. In the 1996 resurvey, 48 (94%) of 53 surveyed hospitals returned a completed questionnaire; 34 (81%) of 42 had TB patient admissions, and 4 (9%) of 43 had MDR TB patient admissions in 1996. Forty-five (96%) of 47 reported having rooms that met CDC criteria for AFB isolation. N95 respiratory devices were used by HCWs at 45 (94%) of 48 hospitals. Attending physicians were included in the TST programs at 22 (54%) of 41 hospitals. CONCLUSION: New Jersey hospitals have made improvements in availability of AFB isolation rooms, use of proper respiratory protective devices, and expansion of TST programs for HCWs from 1989 through 1996.

Cross Infection↗
PubMed2006

Factors associated with seatbelt, helmet, and child safety seat use in a spanish high-risk injury area.

BACKGROUND: Focus of motor vehicle crashes death prevention is actually placed on preinjury period. The purpose of this study was to estimate predictors of using seatbelts, helmet and children safety seats. METHODS: Data from a cross-sectional survey was analyzed. The behaviors were explored as dichotomous variables. Multivariate logistic regression models are proposed to predict them. RESULTS: The educational level and community size measured by number of inhabitants were directly associated with all the behaviors studied. Females were more likely than males to use seatbelts and less likely to ride a motorcycle. Seatbelt and helmet use increased with age. Those exposed to both traffic in the city and on the road were more likely to use seatbelt and helmet than those only exposed in the city. Other variables included in any of the models were: being married or living with a partner, health-related variables as smoking habit, wealth-related variables as home ownership, and an ecological measure of wealth that is the average family income of the community. CONCLUSIONS: Protective device use is associated with sociodemographic, health, and wealth-related variables, and type of exposure to traffic. There are also ecological variables associated with the behaviors studied. These findings should be helpful for planning safer habits promotion programs. Further research, from the discourse analysis of people with different risk profile, should be performed to improve the understanding of the use of protective devices.

Accidents, Traffic↗
PubMed2004

Sex and age distribution in transport-related injuries in Tehran.

Intercountry or regional differences in patterns of injury by the road user type have significant implication for prevention policies. In order to have an estimate from the existing conditions of transport-related injuries (TRIs) and especially to evaluate sex and age distribution of traffic accident victims, we analyzed information of 8426 hospitalized trauma patients during 13 months of data gathering process. Forty-five percent of the injuries were related to car accidents and men/women ratio in these patients was 4.2/1. The highest men/women ratio was (16/1) for motorcyclists, while the lowest ratio (1/1), was for rear seat car passengers. Mean (+/-S.D.) age of the patients was 31 (+/-18), and men were nearly 2 years younger than women (33 versus 31). Sixty-seven percent of the females' and 44% of the males' injuries were related to pedestrian crashes. Motorcycle-related injuries in men and car passenger related injuries in women were the second most common type of crash (42 and 22%, respectively). The use of protective devices in our population was worrisome. In only 6% of the male motorcyclists helmet use was reported, and 3% of the male car occupants had used seatbelts at the time of the accident. The condition in the female population was much worse and no use of the protective devices was reported in this group of the patients. Crude mortality rate in men was nearly two times that of women (6.2% versus 3.8%). After adjustment for age, injury severity score (ISS) and category of the road users, men and women had similar mortality rate.

Accidents, Traffic↗
PubMed2004

[Proximal protection systems using carotid artery stent].

Controversies as to whether or not a protection device should be used in carotid artery stenting exist. Currently three temporary cerebral protection devices are being used. These are devices with distal balloon occlusion or filtration baskets and proximal occlusion devices with flow reversal in the internal carotid artery. This article focuses on flow reversal systems and aims to give some advice as to which patients could benefit from their use.

Angioplasty, Balloon↗