Investigation of strategies to improve concussion reporting in American football

ABSTRACT

While research on sport-related concussion has increased dramatically over the past decade, research investigating concussion reporting is in its early stages. The purpose of this project was to assess concussion reporting and work with stakeholders to develop and assess strategies to improve reporting. We used a multi-site, repeated measures design with three NCAA Division I football programs, including 223 athlete participants. A modified community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach was used to develop intervention strategies (Fall 2017 season) with stakeholders designed to increase concussion reporting intentions. Preseason and postseason surveys were administered to determine effectiveness. Main outcome measures included concussion knowledge, intervention effectiveness, and reporting intention measures. For all three programs, concussion knowledge was unrelated to reporting intentions. Two of the three programs implemented the intervention strategies and for these programs there was evidence that the interventions were effective. Specifically, athletes from these two programs perceived more support from coaches about reporting (P< 0.05; t= 2.83), received education more frequently (P< 0.05; t= 2.67), and reported being more likely to report concussion symptoms (P< 0.05; t= 2.14). Our study demonstrates that working with stakeholders to develop site-specific strategies to improve concussion reporting is an effective approach to help improve reporting behaviours.     

Optimizing resilience and wellbeing for healthcare professions trainees and healthcare professionals during public health crises – Practical tips for an ‘integrative resilience’ approach

Abstract

Public health crises, including pandemics, are associated with significant health risk and concomitant stress, fear, decreased sense of control, and uncertainty. Deleterious impact on both physical and mental health can result, including for healthcare professionals and health professions trainees. Changes in governmental policies and hospital protocols for healthcare professionals as well as disruption of educational formats and requirements for trainees can ensue. Difficult anxiety-provoking realities of public health crises including pandemics which involve caring for many seriously ill patients, moral distress including difficult care decisions, personal health risk, and/or potential risk to one’s family can take a dire toll on the mental health of healthcare professionals at all stages of the professional lifecycle. Educational disruptions can create significant anxiety for trainees about completing requirements and achieving competencies. Within this, coping skills may be challenged and strengths may be elucidated as well. Such crises create an imperative for medical educators to support trainees’ wellbeing through adaptive flexibility for curriculum innovation and culturally sensitive resilience and wellbeing interventions. Strategies (‘tips’) to optimize resilience and wellbeing with an integrative resilience approach of individual, learning environment, and organization/systems factors are presented.     

Non-medical use of opioid analgesics in contemporary Brazil: Findings from the 2015 Brazilian National Household Survey on Substance Use

ABSTRACT

Prior studies on substance use in Brazil have not focused on opioid misuse, previously thought to be nearly non-existent. This paper presents new findings on heroin and non-medical use of opioid analgesics. Data come from the 2015 Brazilian Household Survey on Substance Use (BHSU-3), a nationally representative survey estimating epidemiological parameters related to substance use by residents across Brazil. BHSU-3 used stratified multi-stage probability sampling across multiple geographic domains of interest, resulting in 16,273 interviews with household residents. Lifetime heroin use among Brazilians was 0.3 (95% C.I:0.2–0.4). Lifetime, past-year, and past-month non-medical use of opioid analgesics were respectively 2.9 (95%C.I.:2.3–3.4), 1.4 (95%C.I.:1.1–1.7) and 0.6 (95%C.I.:0.4–0.8). Past-year prevalence of non-medical opioid analgesics use was lower among males [Prevalence Ratio (PR): 0.54 (95% C.I.:0.36–0.78)], those aged 12–24 [0.56 (95% C.I.:0.34–0.92)], persons with monthly family incomes between R$1,501–3,000 [0.59 (95% C.I.:0.38–0.92)] or greater than R$3,000 [0.64 (95% C.I.:0.42–0.98)], and persons who were unemployed [0.65 (95% C.I.:0.46–0.92)]. Non-medical use of opioids in Brazil may be more prevalent than previously recognised. Proper measurement and evaluation of opioid misuse across Brazil and other Latin American countries is critical to understand and prevent opioid-related harms.     

Exploring the Impact of Individual UVB Radiation Levels on Serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D in Women Living in High Versus Low Latitudes: A Cross-Sectional Analysis from the D-SOL Study

Vitamin D can be synthesized in the skin via sunlight exposure as well as ingested through diet. Vitamin D deficiency is currently a major global public health issue, with increasing prevalence in both low and high latitude locations. This cross-sectional analysis aimed to compare the intensity of individual Ultraviolet B radiation levels between women of the same ethnicity living in England and Brazil, respectively; and to investigate the association with circulating 25(OH)D concentrations. We analysed data from 135 Brazilian women (England, n = 56, 51° N; Brazil, n = 79, 16° S) recruited for the D-SOL study (Interaction between Vitamin D Supplementation and Sunlight Exposure in Women Living in Opposite Latitudes). Serum 25(OH)D concentrations were analysed by high performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS), individual UVB radiation via UVB dosimeter badges and dietary intake via 4-day diet diaries. Anthropometric, skin phototype, sociodemographic and lifestyle patterns were also assessed. Mean serum 25(OH)D concentration of England residents was significantly lower than Brazil residents. Daily individual UVB radiation level showed a strong significant positive correlation with serum 25(OH)D concentrations. The required UVB radiation to achieve 75 nmol/L was 2.2 SED and 38.8% of the total variance in 25(OH)D concentrations was explained uniquely by daily individual UVB radiation, after controlling for the influence of age and body mass index. Thus, these results highlight the strong positive association between serum 25(OH)D concentrations and individual UVB radiation and the influence of different individual characteristics and behaviours. Collectively, these factors contribute to meaningful, country-specific, public health strategies and policies for the efficient prevention and treatment of vitamin D inadequacy.     

Ultrabiomicroscopic Findings in Acute Uveitic,Convalescent and Chronic Recurrent Stage of Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada Syndrome

ABSTRACT

Purpose

To describe the ultrabiomicroscopy (UBM) characteristics in patients with uveitic, convalescent, and recurrent Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada (VKH) disease.     

Epidemiology of lacrosse injuries treated at the United States emergency departments between 1997 and 2015

ABSTRACT

Lacrosse has gained substantial popularity across age groups in the past few decades, but epidemiologic sex differences of lacrosse injuries in emergency settings have not been well described. We characterized and described lacrosse-related injuries presenting to United States Emergency Departments (US EDs) using data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS). From 1997 to 2015, 7,587 lacrosse-related injuries were treated at US EDs (national estimate of 256,358 injuries). Males accounted for 75.5% of injuries. Average age was 16.0 ± 5.0 (range 5–71) years. Sprains/strains (25.4%), contusions/abrasions (23.9%), and fractures (18.7%) were the most common diagnoses. Females sustained a higher proportion of sprains/strains (36.0%) than males (21.9%) (p< 0.01), while males sustained a higher proportion of fractures (injury proportion ratios [IPR]; 21.3% vs. 10.8%, p< 0.01). Similar proportions of concussions were observed (IPR; 6.1% in males, 6.2% among females). Differences in injury patterns may be secondary to differences in rules and equipment between the two sports.     

Effect of reverse manual wheelchair propulsion on shoulder kinematics,kinetics and muscular activity in persons with paraplegia

Objective: Shoulder pain after spinal cord injury (SCI) is attributed to increased mobility demands on the arms and negatively impacts independence and quality of life. Repetitive superior and posterior shoulder joint forces produced during traditional wheelchair (WC) locomotion can result in subacromial impingement if unopposed, as with muscular fatigue or weakness. ROWHEELS^® (RW), geared rear wheels that produce forward WC movement with backward rim pulling, could alter these forces.

Design: Cross sectional.

Setting: Research laboratory at a rehabilitation hospital.

Participants: Ten manual WC users with paraplegia.

Outcome measures: Propulsion characteristics and right upper extremity/trunk kinematics and shoulder muscle activity were collected during ergometer propulsion: (1) self-selected free speed reverse propulsion with RW, (2) matched-speed reverse (rSW), and (3) forward propulsion (fSW) with instrumented Smartwheels (SW). Inverse dynamics using right-side SW rim kinetics and kinematics compared shoulder kinetics during rSW and fSW.

Results: Free propulsion velocity, cycle distance and cadence were similar during RW, rSW and fSW. Overall shoulder motion was similar except that peak shoulder extension was significantly reduced in both RW and rSW versus fSW. Anteriorly and inferiorly directed SW rim forces were decreased during rSW versus fSW propulsion, but posteriorly and superiorly directed rim forces were significantly greater. Superior and posterior shoulder joint forces and flexor, adductor, and external rotation moments were significantly less during rSW, without a significant difference in net shoulder forces and moments. Traditional propulsive-phase muscle activity was significantly reduced and recovery-phase muscle activity was increased during reverse propulsion.

Conclusion: These results suggest that reverse propulsion may redirect shoulder demands and prevent subacromial impingement, thereby preventing injury and preserving independent mobility for individuals with paraplegia.     

24-h urinary sodium excretion and the risk of adverse outcomes

Abstract

Aims

The objective was to evaluate whether sodium intake, assessed with the gold standard 24-h urinary collections, was related to long-term incidence of death, cardiovascular disease (CVD) and diabetes mellitus (DM).