Citation

Hudson DS, Nilsen P, Johnson JS, Mode NA, Moore MA, Bensyl DM, Ekman RS. Safety Sci. 2006; 44(6): 479-489.

Affiliation

Karolinska Institute, Department of Public Health Sciences, Division of Social Medicine, Norrbacka, Stockholm SE-171, Sweden (diana_hudson@hotmail.com)

Copyright

(Copyright © 2006, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.ssci.2005.08.013

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

ObjectiveThis study analyzed factors associated with injuries to hospitalized victims of nonfatal immersion-related events in Alaska from 1991 through 2000.DataAlaska Trauma Registry (ATR) records of victims of nonfatal immersion events requiring hospitalization were examined to identify factors associated with injury outcomes. Subjects were divided into two groups: the "immersion only" (IO) group had no additional injuries associated with their immersion-related events, while subjects in the "associated injury" (AI) group incurred additional trauma during injury events.ResultsThere were 176 ATR records of nonfatal immersion events. In 87 (49.5%) cases, hospitalizations were due to the effects of immersion only (IO group). In 89 (50.5%) cases, hospitalizations were due not only to the effects of immersion, but also due to additional injuries occurring immediately before or while immersion took place (AI group). The final logistic regression model revealed statistically significant relationships between age greater than 12 years, female gender, white ethnicity, and operation of water transport vehicles, and increased risk for associated injury outcomes (p DiscussionThis study is the first of its kind to analyze factors associated with the most severe nonfatal immersion-related injuries in Alaska, and identifies target populations for future safety campaigns.