The relationship between violent trauma and nonemployment in Washington, DC.

The purpose of this study was to determine the association of violent trauma with nonemployment status of victims and whether victims who knew their assailants were associated with a higher nonemployment rate than victims who did not know their assailants. Data were collected for 585 patients between 18 and 65 years of age. Patients were residents of Washington, DC, who presented with violent injuries to the emergency department at DC General Hospital between November 1989 and November 1990. Study participants were divided into two groups: those who knew their assailants (Group 1, n = 329) and those who did not know their assailants (Group 2, n = 256). The overall nonemployment rate for the sample population was 51% versus 29% for residents in the hospital catchment area (comparison population based on census data) (P < .001). Of patients in Group 1, 61% were nonemployed compared with 38% in Group 2 (P < .0001). Of male patients in Group 1, 55% were nonemployed compared with 33% in Group 2 (P < .0001). Of female patients in Group 1, 71% were nonemployed compared with 69% in Group 2 (P < .80). Results indicate that there is a significant association between victimization from violent trauma and nonemployment of the victim. In addition, male victims familiar with their assailants had a higher nonemployment rate than victims who did not know their assailants. We conclude that nonemployment seems to contribute to the violence in this population.

Methods of arterial site skin preparation and dressing.

Before an arterial line is inserted, the skin at the site is prepped typically with the traditional iodophor-based preps. The arterial site is then covered with an occlusive dressing. When arterial lines are maintained for even a few days, it is not uncommon that some form of complication develops at the arterial site, such as redness, inflammation, positional problems, or even infection. Unfortunately, due to the nature of this traditional preparation and dressing method, the site is obscured constantly and complications are not always detected before a resulting infection occurs. This prospective study was designed to examine the efficiency and effectiveness of a new transparent prep, used with a transparent dressing at the arterial site. Sixty patients' arterial line sites were evaluated to determine the incidence of complications of the two arterial site prep and dressing methods. The effectiveness that the dressings may serve in securing the arterial lines in place was also evaluated. There were no complications in this study directly related to either skin preparation or dressing method, thus, there were no statistically significant differences. However, the transparent prep and transparent dressing method provided constant visual access to the arterial site and required fewer steps, clearly significant advantages not provided by the traditional method.