Academic emergency medicine : official journal of the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine
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To review the literature for options for integrating injury prevention into the role of out-of-hospital emergency medical services (EMS). ⋯ As changes in the market compel health care systems to focus more on prevention, EMS organizations and individual providers may be assuming new injury prevention roles. Some EMS systems in many parts of the country have incorporated PIP into their work. It is necessary, however, to determine which PIP roles are effective and how they will be supported.
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To determine: 1) provider behavior in screening for domestic violence (DV) and sexual assault (SA); 2) provider training in DV and SA; 3) provider knowledge of available protocols for DV and SA; and 4) provider perception of barriers to intervention. ⋯ Providers surveyed had received little training in and rarely screen for violence, and there are a range of personal and institutional barriers impeding intervention with victims of SA and DV. Institutional changes to enhance training and support providers working in the front line of this epidemic may improve services for victims of violence.
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To describe the spectrum of work-related injury evaluated in a rural ED population. ⋯ Occupational injuries contribute significantly to the overall incidence of injuries seen in this ED and are responsible for significant medical charges each year.
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To determine population-based firearm-related morbidity and mortality for Allegheny County, PA (population = 1.3 million), for the year 1994. ⋯ Firearm-related injury and death are a significant public health problem in Allegheny County. Although the crude mortality rate from firearms in the county is lower than the reported national rate, the observed rate for nonfatal injuries in the black youth of this community is the highest firearm injury incidence rate ever reported. Local surveillance of firearm-related injuries, including nonfatal events, is needed to more accurately demonstrate the magnitude of this problem.