@article{ref1,
title="Population-based estimate of trauma-related deaths for law enforcement personnel: risks for death are higher and increasing over time",
journal="Journal of trauma and acute care surgery",
year="2017",
author="Eastman, Alexander L. and Cripps, Michael W. and AbdelFattah, Kareem R. and Inaba, Kenji and Weiser, Thomas G. and Spain, David A. and Staudenmayer, Kristan L.",
volume="83",
number="2",
pages="237-240",
abstract="OBJECTIVE: Trauma-related deaths remain an important public health problem. One group susceptible to death due to traumatic mechanisms is U.S. Law Enforcement (LE). We hypothesized that LE officers experienced a higher chance of violent death compared to the general U.S. population and that risks have increased over time. <br><br>METHODS: The National Institute on Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) National Occupational Mortality Surveillance (NOMS) is a population-based survey of occupational deaths. It includes data for workers who died during 1985-1998 in one of 30 U.S states (EARLY period). Additional deaths were added from 23 U.S. states in 1999, 2003-2004, 2007-2010 (LATE period). Mortality rates are estimated by calculating proportionate mortality ratios (PMR). A PMR above 100 is considered to exceed the average background risk for all occupations. All adults >18 years of age whose primary occupation was listed as &quot;Law Enforcement Worker&quot; were included in the analysis. <br><br>RESULTS: Law enforcement personnel were more likely to die from an injury compared to the general population (Figure 1). The overall PMR for injury in EARLY was 111 (95% Confidence Interval [CI] 108-114, p<0.01), and for LATE was 118 (95% CI 110-127, p<0.01). Four mechanisms of death reached statistical significance: motor vehicle traffic (MVT)-driver, MVT-other, intentional self-harm, and assault/homicide. The highest PMR in EARLY was associated with firearms (PMR 272, 95% CI 207-350, p<0.01). The highest PMR in LATE was associated with death due to being a driver in an MVT (PMR 194, 95% CI 169-222, p<0.01). There were differences in risk of death by race and gender. White females had the highest PMR due to Assault and Homicide (PMR 317, 95% CI 164-554, p<0.01). All groups had similar risks of death due to Intentional Self-Harm (PMR 130-171). <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: The risk of death for US LEOs is high and increasing over time, suggesting an at-risk population that requires further interventions. Targeted efforts based on risk factors, such as gender and race, may assist with the development of prevention programs for this population.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="2163-0755",
doi="10.1097/TA.0000000000001528",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/TA.0000000000001528"
}