Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the utility and reliability of a home hazard checklist published in Health Canada, "The Safe Living Guide: A Guide to Home Safety for Seniors" (2003). Methods: 76 community-dwelling seniors evaluated the guide, and inter-rater reliability was determined through comparison of ratings of…

A survey conducted in Boulder during the primary cycling months revealed that nearly half of bicycle accidents involved a motor vehicle and 30 percent were caused by gravel. Steps which can be taken to reduce the bicycle accident rate are presented. (MT)

Through repeated practice under conditions similar to those in real-world settings, simulator training prepares an individual to maintain effective performance under stressful work conditions. Interfaces offering high fidelity and immersion can more closely reproduce real-world experiences and are generally believed to result in better learning…

A study of 68 handicapped skiers showed a rate of two injuries per 1,000-skier days. Disabled skiers, while risking the same injuries as nondisabled skiers, also have problems related to their disabilities. A particular hazard for amputee skiers is the outrigger injury. Recommendations to reduce the injury rate are presented. (MT)

This paper is part of an on-going project to examine outdoor education related deaths in Australia since 1960. It records eleven incidents not included in previous papers in this series. A total of 14 students or staff died in the incidents. The paper reviews the incidents and identifies what further lessons can be learned about fatality…

Complete stops at a high-traffic intersection on the campus of a public university were increased with a prompting and consequence intervention. Data were collected at two opposing stop signs (Stop A and Stop B); however, the intervention was implemented only at Stop A. During the intervention, a volunteer stood next to Stop A holding a poster…

There is concern that parents under stress may not be effective in promoting health and preventing injury in young children, but research in this area has been limited. To explore this issue, a study was conducted to look at the relationship between self-reported parenting stress and actions taken to promote health and to prevent injury in…

This paper describes tests conducted on six different kinds of ice hockey helmets and discusses the safety factors in each. (JD)

Snowmobile accidents and resulting casualties in Wisconsin were surveyed from 1973 to 1982. Results of the survey are presented and recommendations to further reduce accidents are offered. (MT)

A study of behavior patterns, actions, and habits that contribute to older adults falling in public places identified such factors as lack of familiarity, health, overexertion, environmental influences/hazards, eyesight and mobility behaviors, and pace. Prevention interventions should employ strategies that actively engage adults in critical…

Automobile crashes are the leading cause of death for those aged 3 to 33, with 43,005 (118 per day) Americans killed in 2002 alone. Seat belt use reduces the risk of serious injury in an accident, and refraining from using a cell phone while driving reduces the risk of an accident. Cell phone use while driving increases accident rates, and leads…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to propose that the measurement of salivary amylase activity is an effective index to evaluate the stress of a ship navigator for safe navigation training and education. Design/methodology/approach: Evaluation comes from the simulator and actual on-board experiments. The subjects are real captains who have…

Compared to hospitalized patients (N=100) who had not fallen, 100 hospitalized patients who had fallen were more likely to have had a previous fall, presence of a secondary diagnosis, intravenous therapy, impaired gait, used walking aids, and poor mental states. Identifies three types of falls (physiological anticipated, physiological…

The sixth nationwide investigation of public playgrounds by the Consumer Federation ofAmerica (CFA) and the State Public Interest Research Groups (PIRGs) found that amajority of U.S. playgrounds pose hidden threats to youngsters. From March-May 2002, the State PIRGs and other CFA member organizations investigated 1,037 playgrounds in 36 states…

In the United States, more than 70 percent of all deaths among youth and young adults each year are related to four causes: motor vehicle crashes, other unintentional injuries, homicide, and suicide. Alcohol misuse and abuse contribute to each of these behaviors. Alcohol is the most frequently consumed mind-altering substance among…