Welsh hospital admissions due to dog bites and strikes (2014-2022).

OBJECTIVE: To describe the incidence and victim demographics of Welsh hospital admissions due to dog bites and strikes from 2014 to 2022. STUDY DESIGN: Descriptive analysis of Welsh hospital admissions data. METHODS: Residents of Wales admitted to a Welsh National Health Service (NHS) hospital for a dog bite or strike, were identified using ICD-10 codes. The annual incidence of dog bite and strike admissions between 2014 and 2022 was calculated and stratified by child-adult status, sex, and Local Health Boards. Trends over time were analysed using the Chi-square test for trends. RESULTS: Hospital admissions due to dog bites and strikes have significantly increased from 16.3 per 100,000 to 23.7 per 100,000 population in 2022. This was driven by an increase in non-geriatric adults and an increase in three Local Health Boards. The Swansea Bay area has the highest incidence in Wales (56.1 admissions per 100,000). CONCLUSIONS: Wales has a higher incidence of dog bites and strikes than England or the Republic of Ireland. Work in the communities where incidence is exceptionally high is needed to understand the reasons behind having the highest incidence of dog bites in the British Isles and to establish the most efficacious methods for bite prevention.

Dog-related deaths registered in England and Wales from 2001 to 2021.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to describe the incidence and demographics of fatal dog bites or strikes, as defined in English and Welsh mortality data (2001-2021). STUDY DESIGN: A descriptive analysis of the Office for National Statistics registered deaths data set. METHODS: Individuals whose cause of death was defined as 'bitten or struck by a dog' were identified. The average annual number of dog-related deaths and trends in incidence were calculated. Age and sex demographics of victims were described. RESULTS: In total, there were 69 registered deaths, a mean of 3.3 (95% confidence interval 0.3-6.3) dog-related deaths per year, and a mean annual incidence of 0.59 (95% confidence interval 0.06-1.11) deaths per 10 million population. There was no year-on-year change in incidence. Of victims, 59% were male, 10% were <5 years, and 30% were ≥75 years. CONCLUSIONS: Dog-related deaths are rare in England and Wales and have not increased between 2001 and 2021. Further contextual information about the incidents is needed to be able to develop public health strategies and interventions.

A pilot study of Australian pet owners who engage in social media and their use, experience and views of online pet health information.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to gain a better understanding of Australian pet owners' use of the internet for pet health; how trustworthy they rate various pet health information sources and the use of online information in subsequent veterinary consultations. METHOD: An anonymous questionnaire was developed, consisting of 30 questions, and distributed between March 2018 and May 2018 using convenience sampling through social media venues including Facebook and Twitter. All respondents were over the age of 18, lived in Australia and owned a pet animal. RESULTS: A total of 228 responses were received. The most common sources of pet health information were veterinarians (88.2%) and internet websites (81.1%). Most respondents reported using the internet 'many times per day' at either home or work. The majority of respondents used the internet to seek pet health information either 'not weekly but at least once a month' or 'less than once a month'. Nearly half of the respondents stated that they only 'sometimes' discuss their online findings with their veterinarian. Approximately one half of respondents agreed with the statement that online pet health information had affected their decision about whether to take their pet to the veterinarian. CONCLUSION: This study assesses how pet owners use the internet for pet health information and the role veterinarians can play in helping to facilitate these searches with tools such as information prescriptions. Further large-scale research is needed to help further understand this increasingly important aspect of pet health.

Pilot study of Australian veterinarians and their perceptions and experiences related to online pet health information.

OBJECTIVE: Investigate Australian veterinarians' perceptions of clients' use of the internet to find pet health information. METHODS: An anonymous online survey was distributed using social media, e-newsletters and veterinary magazines. RESULTS: A total of 85 complete responses were obtained from Australian veterinarians. Most (80%) reported believing that > 80% of their clients have access to the internet at home or work, but 68% thought that the majority of their clients do not understand what they read online. Attitudes regarding the impact of online pet health information on the veterinarian-client relationship were mixed (56% reported negative impact and 33% a positive impact), as well as for clients' use of the internet for information on companion animal health (47% reported negative impact and 38% a positive impact). When asked how often they suggest specific websites to their clients ('information prescriptions'), the majority of veterinarians reported that this is done infrequently. CONCLUSION: This pilot study highlighted the perception of Australian veterinarians of their clients' use of the internet to find pet health information. It also highlighted the need for a large-scale, detailed survey of Australian veterinarians and their views in relation to pet owners and their use of online information. This should include evaluation of information prescriptions and their potential benefits for clients and patients.

Reliability and validity of the English and Malay versions of the Driving and Riding Questionnaire: a pilot study amongst older car drivers and motorcycle riders.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to examine the reliability and validity of the English and Malay versions of the Driving and Riding Questionnaire. STUDY DESIGN: An observational study with a mix-method approach by utilising both questionnaire and short debriefing interviews. METHODS: Forward and backward translations of the original questionnaire were performed. The translated questionnaire was assessed for clarity by a multidisciplinary research team, translators, and several Malay native speakers. A total of 24 subjects participated in the pilot study. Reliability (Cronbach's alpha) and validity (content validity) of the original and translated questionnaires were examined. RESULTS: The English and Malay versions of the Driving and Riding Questionnaire were found to be reliable tools in measuring driving behaviours amongst older drivers and riders, with Cronbach's alpha of 0.9158 and 0.8919, respectively. For content validity, the questionnaires were critically reviewed in terms of relevance, clarity, simplicity, and ambiguity. The feedback obtained from participants addressed various aspects of the questionnaire related to the improvement of wordings used and inclusion of visual guide to enhance the understanding of the items in the questionnaire. This feedback was incorporated into the final versions of the English and Malay questionnaires. CONCLUSION: The findings of this study demonstrated both the English and Malay versions of the Driving and Riding Questionnaire to be valid and reliable.

Validity and Reliability of Malay Version of the Job Content Questionnaire among Public Hospital Female Nurses in Malaysia.

BACKGROUND: The Job Content Questionnaire (M-JCQ) is an established self-reported instrument used across the world to measure the work dimensions based on the Karasek's demand-control-support model. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the psychometrics properties of the Malay version of M-JCQ among nurses in Malaysia. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was carried out on nurses working in 4 public hospitals in Klang Valley area, Malaysia. M-JCQ was used to assess the perceived psychosocial stressors and physical demands of nurses at their workplaces. Construct validity of the questionnaire was examined using exploratory factor analysis (EFA). Cronbach's α values were used to estimate the reliability (internal consistency) of the M-JCQ. RESULTS: EFA showed that 34 selected items were loaded in 4 factors. Except for psychological job demand (Cronbach's α 0.51), the remaining 3 α values for 3 subscales (job control, social support, and physical demand) were greater than 0.70, indicating acceptable internal consistency. However, an item was excluded due to poor item-total correlation (r<0.3). The final M-JCQ was consisted of 33 items. CONCLUSION: The M-JCQ is a reliable and valid instrument to measure psychosocial and physical stressors in the workplace of public hospital nurses in Malaysia.

Dog owners' perceptions of breed-specific dangerous dog legislation in the UK.

The aim of this study was to identify both the level and source of knowledge that dog owners in the UK have of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991. In order to acquire such information a questionnaire was designed and distributed using two main methods over a period of five months. Questionnaires were distributed via three pet-related online forums and by hand at two locations within five predefined areas in England. In total, 459 responses were received. Of these, 21.4 per cent were unable to name a single type of banned dog and 81.9 per cent of respondents agreed that information on dog legislation was not publicised enough. The knowledge of banned breeds among the dog owners surveyed was low and respondents expressed a desire to see the law relating to dangerous dogs in the UK either changed or improved.