The Medical journal of Australia
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To provide a perspective on "whiplash" injury in Australia by examining conflicting evidence, which suggests on the one hand that the disorder is a culturally conditioned and legally sanctioned illness and on the other, that it is an occult injury which can cause chronic pain. ⋯ Comparative studies suggest that "whiplash" is an illness reinforced by legal and social sanction. Evidence from Victoria indicates that the reported incidence of "whiplash" can be reduced by minor legislative change. Occult injury to cervical intervertebral discs, vertebral end plates and cervical zygapophysial joints may be responsible for "whiplash" symptoms in some who are involved in motor vehicle accidents. This is likely to be confined to a small number of those involved in unexpected rear-end collisions.
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Comparative Study
Health status and lifestyle in elderly Hawaii Japanese and Australian men. Exploring known differences in longevity.
To contrast health status and lifestyle in two elderly populations with differing longevity. ⋯ Elderly Dubbo men have an excess of cardiovascular disease and associated risk factors, as well as an excess of non-cardiovascular disease, compared with Hawaii Japanese. This may account, in part, for a higher total mortality rate in elderly Australians compared with Japanese. Some of this disease burden may be amenable to risk factor intervention.