Assessment of condom use among Bolivian truck drivers through the lens of social cognitive theory

This study demonstrates that Bolivian long distance truck drivers are a high risk population of HIV infection and transmission, supporting other global studies involving truck drivers and their high risk. The aims of this investigation were to estimate the prevalence of high risk behaviors and to identify predictors of condom use in this population. Analysis was completed on survey results from 246 male truckers (aged 18-67). About one in three of the truck drivers (30%) reported having had a sexually transmitted infection sometime in their past. More than half (56%) reported having sex with casual partners. Other risks involved unprotected anal sex. Age and two social cognitive constructs (outcome expectations and perceived social norms) predicted condom use from logistic regression analysis. The authors discuss the need for expanded HIV/sexually transmitted infection prevention programs that incorporate social cognitions.     

Epidemiology of road traffic crashes among long distance drivers in Ibadan,Nigeria

Background

Road Traffic Crashes (RTCs) are major causes of morbidity and mortality in Nigeria. Few studies in Ibadan have focused on the distribution and determinants of RTC among long distance drivers.

Objective

To describe the distribution of crashes by place, times of occurrence, characteristics of persons involved and identify associated factors.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was carried out among consenting long distance drivers within selected parks in Ibadan.

Results

Respondents (592) were males, with median age of 42.0 years (range 22.0–73.0 years). Secondary education was the highest level of education attained by 38.0%. About 34.0% reported current use of alcohol. The life-time prevalence of crashes was 35.3% (95% CI= 31.5–39.2%) and 15.9% (95% CI=13.1–19.0%) reported having had at least one episode of crash in the last one year preceding the study. The crash occurred mainly on narrow roads [32/94 (34.0%,)] and bad portions of tarred roads [35/94 (37.2%,)] with peak of occurrence on Saturdays 18/94 (19.1%,). Significantly higher proportions of drivers aged ≤39years (23.4%) versus >39years (11.7%), those with no education (29.9%) versus the educated (13.8%) and those who reported alcohol use (21.9%) versus non users (12.8%) were involved in crashes in the year preceding the study. Significant predictor of the last episode of crashes in the last one year were age (OR=2.2, 95% CI=1.4–3.5), education (OR=2.7, 95% CI=1.5–4.6) and alcohol use (OR=1.8, 95% CI=1.2–3.0).

Conclusion

Road traffic crashes occurred commonly on bad roads, in the afternoon and during weekends, among young and uneducated long-distance drivers studied. Reconstruction of bad roads and implementation of road safety education programmes aimed at discouraging the use of alcohol and targeting the identified groups at risk are recommended.     

Drivers of Emerging Infectious Disease Events as a Framework for Digital Detection

The growing field of digital disease detection, or epidemic intelligence, attempts to improve timely detection and awareness of infectious disease (ID) events. Early detection remains an important priority; thus, the next frontier for ID surveillance is to improve the recognition and monitoring of drivers (antecedent conditions) of ID emergence for signals that precede disease events. These data could help alert public health officials to indicators of elevated ID risk, thereby triggering targeted active surveillance and interventions. We believe that ID emergence risks can be anticipated through surveillance of their drivers, just as successful warning systems of climate-based, meteorologically sensitive diseases are supported by improved temperature and precipitation data. We present approaches to driver surveillance, gaps in the current literature, and a scientific framework for the creation of a digital warning system. Fulfilling the promise of driver surveillance will require concerted action to expand the collection of appropriate digital driver data.     

RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN DRINKING PROBLEMS AND DRINKING LOCATIONS AMONG CONVICTED DRINKING DRIVERS

This study examines relationships between drinking problems and the frequency of drinking in eight types of places within a sample of convicted drinking drivers. Drinking problems were measured by two instruments, the Mortimer-Filkins Questionnaire (MFQ) and the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) Core Questionnaire. Data were collected from convicted drinking drivers who were ordered by the court to attend the Mississippi Alcohol Safety Education Program (MASEP). Both the MFQ and the AUDIT were found to be more strongly related to the frequency of drinking in moving automobiles than to the frequency of drinking in any other type of place. This suggests that drinking drivers with severe drinking problems are more likely to drink in moving automobiles than are those with less severe problems. The strong linkage between severe alcohol problems and drinking in automobiles has important implications with respect to highway safety.     

Driving as an Everyday Competence: A Model of Driving Competence and Behavior

Through a review of the literature on driving models, on models of everyday competence, and on older drivers, we developed a novel model of older drivers. Our proposed Driving as an Everyday Competence (DEC) model, which incorporates both driving competence and performance, was reviewed and critiqued by a group of experts. Our model suggests that the level of driving competence is determined by the interaction between individual and environment and is moderated by beliefs and awareness, leading to strategic level decisions regarding driving behaviors. Decisions made at the strategic, tactical, and operational levels must be viewed within the social/physical environmental context if driving performance is to be fully understood. The DEC model is a comprehensive model of older drivers and provides a foundation for the advancement of research on older drivers.     

深圳口岸出入境交通员工高血压病流行现状与影响因素分析

[目的]了解深圳口岸出入境交通员工高血压的流行病学特征和相关影响因素,为进一步进行高血压防治和采取干预措施提供理论依据。[方法]2007年1-12月,对深圳口岸皇岗、罗湖、沙头角3个体检点的交通员工进行健康体检,并采用匿名自填问卷的方式对其进行高血压相关知识的问卷调查。[结果]深圳口岸出入境交通员工高血压的患病率为26．99％。随着年龄的增长,高血压患病率呈明显上升趋势。多因素Logistic回归分析结果表明年龄、肥胖、吸烟、腹围、食盐量、驾龄均是该人群高血压患病的影响因素。[结论]深圳口岸出入境交通员工高血压患病率高,建议对这一人群有针对性地开展高血压防治知识的宣传教育,以提高他们的防病意识和自我保护能力,从而有效降低发病率,致残率和致死率。     

高仿真人模拟危重症事件驱动程序结合微格教学在住院医师培训中的探索与应用

目的 根据教育家George Miller的医学教育层次目标与能力进阶的思想,探索高仿真模拟人驱动程序结合微格教学在年轻住院医师培养中的可行性.方法 选择3年以下麻醉住院医师20名,在模拟系统中编制8项急危重症救治程序,并用微格教学理念对其原则要领进行分解定格量化;经过测试-反馈-自我分析-教师指导-总结-再演练-再测试等培训,并收集培训住院医师对本培训项目的 反馈表.结果 接受培训的T组其各项测试成绩均明显高于未接受培训的N组(P<0.05).结论 从培训结果及反馈表中可见,模拟微格教学的结合,可以使年轻住院医师不受时间和患者安危的限制,并且突出了学习的要领及关健点.因此此培训项目对拓宽年轻住院医师的教学方式、对临床思维与技能的提高、缩短适应临床工作能力的时间具有辅助作用.     

Contralateral corticothalamic projections from MI whisker cortex: potential route for modulating hemispheric interactions

Rat whisking behavior is characterized by high amounts of bilateral coordination in which whisker movements on both sides of the face are linked. To elucidate the neural substrate that might mediate this bilateral coordination, neuronal tracers were used to characterize the bilateral distribution of corticothalamic projections from primary motor (MI) cortex. Some rats received tracers in the MI whisker region, whereas others received tracers in the MI forepaw region. The MI whisker region projects bilaterally to the anteromedial (AM), ventromedial (VM), and ventrolateral (VL) nuclei, and to parts of the intralaminar nuclei. By contrast, the MI forepaw region sends virtually no projections to the contralateral thalamus. Consistent with these findings, bilateral injections of different tracers into the MI whisker region of each hemisphere produced tracer overlap on both sides of the thalamus. Furthermore, MI whisker projections to the contralateral thalamus terminate in close proximity to the thalamocortical neurons that project to the MI whisker region of that contralateral hemisphere. The terminal endings of the contralateral corticothalamic projections contain small synaptic varicosities and other features that resemble the modulator pathways described for other corticothalamic projection systems. In addition, tracer injections into AM, VM, and VL revealed dense clusters of labeled neurons in layer VI of the medial agranular (Agm) zone, which corresponds to the MI whisker region. These results suggest that projections from the MI whisker region to the contralateral thalamus may modulate the callosal interactions that are presumed to play a role in coordinating bilateral whisking behavior.     

职业紧张对火车司机心理健康的影响

目的探讨职业紧张因素对火车司机心理健康的影响。方法采用随机抽样方法抽取某铁路局的火车司机280人为调查对象,用职业紧张量表(OSI)和精神症状自评量表(SCL-90)进行调查。结果单因素分析发现,以工龄、体育锻炼和娱乐活动的情况、职业紧张总分以及6个因子分分组,组间SCL-90总分比较差异均有统计学意义(P<0.05)。多元逐步回归分析结果表明(α入=0.05,α出=0.10),影响火车司机SCL-90总分的主要因素是职业紧张、参加体育锻炼和娱乐活动的情况,来源于家庭与工作、经历与成就的职业紧张是影响火车司机心理健康的主要职业紧张因素。结论职业紧张是火车司机心理健康的重要影响因素。针对职业紧张因素采取干预措施来保护火车司机的心理健康至关重要。