Social determinants of health and disparities in pediatric trauma care: protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Social determinants of health (SDH), including "the conditions in which individuals are born, grow, work, live and age" affect child health and well-being. Several studies have synthesized evidence about the influence of SDH on childhood injury risks and outcomes. However, there is no systematic evidence about the impact of SDH on accessing care and quality of care once a child has suffered an injury. We aim to evaluate the extent to which access to care and quality of care after injury are affected by children and adolescents' SDH. METHODS: Using Cochrane methodology, we will conduct a systematic review including observational and experimental studies evaluating the association between social/material elements contributing to health disparities, using the PROGRESS-Plus framework: place of residence, race/ethnicity/culture/language, occupation, gender/sex, religion, education, socioeconomic status, and social capital and care received by children and adolescents (≤ 19 years of age) after injury. We will consult published literature using PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Web of Science, and Academic Search Premier and grey literature using Google Scholar from their inception to a maximum of 6 months prior to submission for publication. Two reviewers will independently perform study selection, data extraction, and risk of bias assessment for included studies. The risk of bias will be assessed using the ROBINS-E and ROB-2 tools respectively for observational and experimental study designs. We will analyze data to perform narrative syntheses, and if enough studies are identified, we will conduct a meta-analysis using random effects models. DISCUSSION: This systematic review will provide a synthesis of evidence on the association between SDH and pediatric trauma care (access to care and quality of care) that clinicians and policymakers can use to better tailor care systems and promote equitable access and quality of care for all children. We will share our findings through clinical rounds, conferences, and publication in a peer-reviewed journal. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPERO CRD42023408467.

Clinical Practice Guideline Recommendations in Pediatric Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: A Systematic Review.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: Our primary objectives were to identify clinical practice guideline recommendations for children with acute mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) presenting to an emergency department (ED), appraise their overall quality, and synthesize the quality of evidence and the strength of included recommendations. METHODS: We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Central, Web of Science, and medical association websites from January 2012 to May 2023 for clinical practice guidelines with at least 1 recommendation targeting pediatric mTBI populations presenting to the ED within 48 hours of injury for any diagnostic or therapeutic intervention in the acute phase of care (ED and inhospital). Pairs of reviewers independently assessed overall clinical practice guideline quality using the Appraisal of Guidelines Research and Evaluation (AGREE) II tool. The quality of evidence on recommendations was synthesized using a matrix based on the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) Evidence-to-Decision framework. RESULTS: We included 11 clinical practice guidelines, of which 6 (55%) were rated high quality. These included 101 recommendations, of which 34 (34%) were based on moderate- to high-quality evidence, covering initial assessment, initial diagnostic imaging, monitoring/observation, therapeutic interventions, discharge advice, follow-up, and patient and family support. We did not identify any evidence-based recommendations in high-quality clinical practice guidelines for repeat imaging, neurosurgical consultation, or hospital admission. Lack of strategies and tools to aid implementation and editorial independence were the most common methodological weaknesses. CONCLUSIONS: We identified 34 recommendations based on moderate- to high-quality evidence that may be considered for implementation in clinical settings. Our review highlights important areas for future research. This review also underlines the importance of providing strategies to facilitate the implementation of clinical practice guideline recommendations for pediatric mTBI.

Pediatric vs Adult or Mixed Trauma Centers in Children Admitted to Hospitals Following Trauma: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Importance: Adult trauma centers (ATCs) have been shown to decrease injury mortality and morbidity in major trauma, but a synthesis of evidence for pediatric trauma centers (PTCs) is lacking. Objective: To assess the effectiveness of PTCs compared with ATCs, combined trauma centers (CTCs), or nondesignated hospitals in reducing mortality and morbidity among children admitted to hospitals following trauma. Data Sources: MEDLINE, Embase, and Web of Science through March 2023. Study Selection: Studies comparing PTCs with ATCs, CTCs, or nondesignated hospitals for pediatric trauma populations (aged ≤19 years). Data Extraction and Synthesis: This systematic review and meta-analysis was performed following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analysis and Meta-analysis of Observational Studies in Epidemiology guidelines. Pairs of reviewers independently extracted data and evaluated risk of bias using the Risk of Bias in Nonrandomized Studies of Interventions tool. A meta-analysis was conducted if more than 2 studies evaluated the same intervention-comparator-outcome and controlled minimally for age and injury severity. Subgroup analyses were planned for age, injury type and severity, trauma center designation level and verification body, country, and year of conduct. Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) was used to assess certainty of evidence. Main Outcome(s) and Measure(s): Primary outcomes were mortality, complications, functional status, discharge destination, and quality of life. Secondary outcomes were resource use and processes of care, including computed tomography (CT) and operative management of blunt solid organ injury (SOI). Results: A total of 56 studies with 286 051 participants were included overall, and 34 were included in the meta-analysis. When compared with ATCs, PTCs were associated with a 41% lower risk of mortality (OR, 0.59; 95% CI, 0.46-0.76), a 52% lower risk of CT use (OR, 0.48; 95% CI, 0.26-0.89) and a 64% lower risk of operative management for blunt SOI (OR, 0.36; 95% CI, 0.23-0.57). The OR for complications was 0.80 (95% CI, 0.41-1.56). There was no association for mortality for older children (OR, 0.71; 95% CI, 0.47-1.06), and the association was closer to the null when PTCs were compared with CTCs (OR, 0.73; 95% CI, 0.53-0.99). Results remained similar for other subgroup analyses. GRADE certainty of evidence was very low for all outcomes. Conclusions and Relevance: In this systematic review and meta-analysis, results suggested that PTCs were associated with lower odds of mortality, CT use, and operative management for SOI than ATCs for children admitted to hospitals following trauma, but certainty of evidence was very low. Future studies should strive to address selection and confounding biases.

Clinical Practice Guideline Recommendations in Pediatric Orthopaedic Injury: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Lack of adherence to recommendations on pediatric orthopaedic injury care may be driven by lack of knowledge of clinical practice guidelines (CPGs), heterogeneity in recommendations or concerns about their quality. We aimed to identify CPGs for pediatric orthopaedic injury care, appraise their quality, and synthesize the quality of evidence and the strength of associated recommendations. METHODS: We searched Medline, Embase, Cochrane CENTRAL, Web of Science and websites of clinical organizations. CPGs including at least one recommendation targeting pediatric orthopaedic injury populations on any diagnostic or therapeutic intervention developed in the last 15 years were eligible. Pairs of reviewers independently extracted data and evaluated CPG quality using the Appraisal of Guidelines Research and Evaluation (AGREE) II tool. We synthesized recommendations from high-quality CPGs using a recommendations matrix based on the GRADE Evidence-to-Decision framework. RESULTS: We included 13 eligible CPGs, of which 7 were rated high quality. Lack of stakeholder involvement and applicability (i.e., implementation strategies) were identified as weaknesses. We extracted 53 recommendations of which 19 were based on moderate or high-quality evidence. CONCLUSIONS: We provide a synthesis of recommendations from high-quality CPGs that can be used by clinicians to guide treatment decisions. Future CPGs should aim to use a partnership approach with all key stakeholders and provide strategies to facilitate implementation. This study also highlights the need for more rigorous research on pediatric orthopaedic trauma. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level II-therapeutic study.

Clinical practice guideline recommendations for pediatric solid organ injury care: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Observed variations in the management of pediatric solid organ injuries (SOIs) may be due to difficulty in finding and integrating recommendations from multiple clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) with heterogeneous methodological approaches. We aimed to systematically review CPG recommendations for pediatric SOIs. METHODS: We conducted a systematic review of CPGs including at least one recommendation targeting pediatric SOI populations, using Medical Analysis and Retrieval System Online, Excerpta Medica dataBASE, Web of Science, and websites of clinical organizations. Pairs of reviewers independently assessed eligibility, extracted data, and evaluated the quality of CPGs using the Appraisal of Guidelines Research and Evaluation II tool. We synthesized recommendations from moderate to high-quality CPGs using a recommendations matrix based on Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation criteria. RESULTS: We identified eight CPGs, including three rated moderate or high quality. Methodological weaknesses included lack of stakeholder involvement beyond surgeons, consideration of applicability (e.g., implementation tools), and clarity around the definition of pediatric populations. Five of the 15 recommendations from moderate to high-quality CPGs were based on moderate quality evidence or were rated as strong; these reflected nonoperative management and angioembolization for renal injuries and required length of stay for liver and spleen injuries. CONCLUSION: We identified 15 recommendations on pediatric SOI management from 3 moderate or high-quality CPGs, but only one third were based on at least moderate-quality evidence or were rated as strong. Our results prompt the following recommendations for future CPG development or updates: (1) include all types of clinicians involved in the care of pediatric SOIs and patient and family representatives in the process, (2) develop clear definitions of the target population, and (3) provide advice and tools to promote implementation. Results also underline the urgent need for more rigorous research to support strong evidence-based recommendations in this population. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Systematic Review/Meta-analysis; Level III.

Clinical Practice Guideline Recommendations For Pediatric Multisystem Trauma Care: A Systematic Review.

OBJECTIVE: To systematically review clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) for pediatric multisystem trauma, appraise their quality, synthesize the strength of recommendations and quality of evidence, and identify knowledge gaps. BACKGROUND: Traumatic injuries are the leading cause of death and disability in children, who require a specific approach to injury care. Difficulties integrating CPG recommendations may cause observed practice and outcome variation in pediatric trauma care. METHODS: We conducted a systematic review using Medline, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, ClinicalTrials, and grey literature, from January 2007 to November 2022. We included CPGs targeting pediatric multisystem trauma with recommendations on any acute care diagnostic or therapeutic interventions. Pairs of reviewers independently screened articles, extracted data, and evaluated the quality of CPGs using "Appraisal of Guidelines, Research, and Evaluation II." RESULTS: We reviewed 19 CPGs, and 11 were considered high quality. Lack of stakeholder engagement and implementation strategies were weaknesses in guideline development. We extracted 64 recommendations: 6 (9%) on trauma readiness and patient transfer, 24 (38%) on resuscitation, 22 (34%) on diagnostic imaging, 3 (5%) on pain management, 6 (9%) on ongoing inpatient care, and 3 (5%) on patient and family support. Forty-two (66%) recommendations were strong or moderate, but only 5 (8%) were based on high-quality evidence. We did not identify recommendations on trauma survey assessment, spinal motion restriction, inpatient rehabilitation, mental health management, or discharge planning. CONCLUSIONS: We identified 5 recommendations for pediatric multisystem trauma with high-quality evidence. Organizations could improve CPGs by engaging all relevant stakeholders and considering barriers to implementation. There is a need for robust pediatric trauma research, to support recommendations.

Pediatric Moderate and Severe Traumatic Brain Injury: A Systematic Review of Clinical Practice Guideline Recommendations.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the leading cause of death and disability in children. Many clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) have addressed pediatric TBI in the last decade but significant variability in the use of these guidelines persists. Here, we systematically review CPGs recommendations for pediatric moderate-to-severe TBI, evaluate the quality of CPGs, synthesize the quality of evidence and strength of included recommendations, and identify knowledge gaps. A systematic search was conducted in MEDLINE®, Embase, Cochrane CENTRAL, Web of Science, and Web sites of organizations publishing recommendations on pediatric injury care. We included CPGs developed in high-income countries from January 2012 to May 2023, with at least one recommendation targeting pediatric (≤ 19 years old) moderate-to-severe TBI populations. The quality of included clinical practice guidelines was assessed using the AGREE II tool. We synthesized evidence on recommendations using a matrix based on the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) framework. We identified 15 CPGs of which 9 were rated moderate to high quality using AGREE II. We identified 90 recommendations, of which 40 (45%) were evidence based. Eleven of these were based on moderate to high quality evidence and were graded as moderate or strong by at least one guideline. These included transfer, imaging, intracranial pressure control, and discharge advice. We identified gaps in evidence-based recommendations for red blood cell transfusion, plasma and platelet transfusion, thromboprophylaxis, surgical antimicrobial prophylaxis, early diagnosis of hypopituitarism, and mental health mangement. Many up-to-date CPGs are available, but there is a paucity of evidence to support recommendations, highlighting the urgent need for robust clinical research in this vulnerable population. Our results may be used by clinicians to identify recommendations based on the highest level of evidence, by healthcare administrators to inform guideline implementation in clinical settings, by researchers to identify areas where robust evidence is needed, and by guideline writing groups to inform the updating of existing guidelines or the development of new ones.

Clinical practice guideline recommendations for pediatric injury care: protocol for a systematic review.

INTRODUCTION: Evidence suggests the presence of deficiencies in the quality of care provided to up to half of all paediatric trauma patients in Canada, the USA and Australia. Lack of adherence to evidence-based recommendations may be driven by lack of knowledge of clinical practice guidelines (CPGs), heterogeneity in recommendations or concerns about their quality. We aim to systematically review CPG recommendations for paediatric injury care and appraise their quality. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: We will identify CPG recommendations through a comprehensive search strategy including Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online, Excerpta Medica dataBASE, Cochrane library, Web of Science, ClinicalTrials and websites of organisations publishing recommendations on paediatric injury care. We will consider CPGs including at least one recommendation targeting paediatric injury populations on any diagnostic or therapeutic intervention from the acute phase of care with any comparator developed in high-income countries in the last 15 years (January 2007 to a maximum of 6 months prior to submission). Pairs of reviewers will independently screen titles, abstracts and full text of eligible articles, extract data and evaluate the quality of CPGs and their recommendations using Appraisal of Guidelines Research and Evaluation (AGREE) II and AGREE Recommendations Excellence instruments, respectively. We will synthesise evidence on recommendations using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) Evidence-to-Decision framework and present results within a recommendations matrix. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethics approval is not a requirement as this study is based on available published data. The results of this systematic review will be published in a peer-reviewed journal, presented at international scientific meetings and distributed to healthcare providers. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (CRD42021226934).

Socio-demographic and substance use characteristics of unintentional injuries among Nunavik youth.

This study described the distribution of unintentional injuries among Inuit youth in Nunavik, Quebec, Canada, and examined the relationship between socio-demographic factors, substance use and unintentional injuries.A cross-sectional study design was used on data collected for the Nunavik Child Development Study (2013-2015) among eligible youth aged 16 to 21 years old. Unintentional injury occurrence and causes (last 12 months) were assessed through individual interviews. A multivariate logistic regression model tested the relationship between socio-demographic, substance use variables and unintentional injury occurrence.Among the 199 youth who participated (94% response rate), thirty youth reported being unintentionally injured in the past 12 months , of which 50% were female. All-terrain vehicle collisions were the most frequent injuries reported (23%). The odds of being injured decreased by 62% for youth who were currently employed compared to those who were unemployed, adjusting for other socio-demographic variables (p-value = 0.04). Heavy alcohol drinking in the past 12 months was not significantly associated with unintentional injury.This study highlights the burden of unintentional injuries among Nunavik youth and the need for future work to explore additional and diverse variables that may prevent or contribute to injuries in order to inform culturally and developmentally-appropriate injury prevention strategies.

Longitudinal cohort study of injury type, settings, treatment and costs in British Columbia youth, 2003-2013.

BACKGROUND: In 2010 in British Columbia (BC), Canada, total injury costs per capita were higher among youth aged 15-24 years than in any other age group. Injury prevention efforts have targeted injuries with high mortality (transportation injuries) or morbidity (concussions). However, the profile and health costs of common youth injuries (types, locations, treatment choices and prevention strategies) and how these change from adolescence to young adulthood is not known. METHODS: Participants (n=662) were a randomly recruited cohort of BC youth, aged 12-18, in 2003. They were followed biennially across a decade (six assessments). RESULTS: Serious injuries (defined as serious enough to limit normal daily activities) in the last year were reported by 27%-41% of participants at each assessment. Most common injuries were sprains or strains, broken bones, cuts, punctures or animal bites, and severe bruises. Most occurred when playing a sport or from falling. Estimated total direct cost of treatment per injury was approximately $2500. In addition, 25% experienced serious injuries at three or more assessments, indicating possible differences that warrents further investigation. CONCLUSIONS: The occurence and health cost of common injuries to youth and young adults are underestimated in this study but are nevertheless substantial. Ongoing surveillence, awareness raising, and prevention efforts may be needed to reduce these costs.

The Economics of Burn Injuries Among Children Aged 0 to 4 Years in British Columbia.

Children under the age of 5 years have the highest rate of hospitalization and mortality from burns. Studies of costs associated with pediatric burns have included a limited number of patients and focused on inpatient and complication costs, limiting our understanding of the full economic burden of pediatric burns. This study aimed to develop a costing model for burn injuries among children to estimate the economic burden of child burns in British Columbia, Canada. Costs of services and resources used by children aged 0 to 4 years old who were treated at BC Children's Hospital (BCCH) between January 1, 2014 and March 15, 2018 for a burn injury were estimated and summed, using a micro-costing approach. The average cost of burn injuries per percentage of total body surface area (%TBSA) was then applied to the number of 0 to 4 years old children treated for a burn injury across British Columbia between January 1 and December 31, 2016. Based on 342 included children, a 1-5%, 6-10%, 11-20%, and >20% burn, respectively cost an average of $3338.80, $13,460.00, $20,228.80, and $109,881.00 to society. The societal cost of child burns in BC in 2016 totaled $2,711,255.01. In conclusion, pediatric burn injuries place an important, yet preventable economic burden on society. Preventing even a small number of severe pediatric burns or multiple small burns may have considerable economic impacts on society and allow for the reallocation of healthcare funds toward other clinical priorities.

State-of-the-art review: preventing child and youth pedestrian motor vehicle collisions: critical issues and future directions.

AIM: To undertake a comprehensive review of the best available evidence related to risk factors for child pedestrian motor vehicle collision (PMVC), as well as identification of established and emerging prevention strategies. METHODS: Articles on risk factors were identified through a search of English language publications listed in Medline, Embase, Transport, SafetyLit, Web of Science, CINHAL, Scopus and PsycINFO within the last 30 years (~1989 onwards). RESULTS: This state-of-the-art review uses the road safety Safe System approach as a new lens to examine three risk factor domains affecting child pedestrian safety (built environment, drivers and vehicles) and four cross-cutting critical issues (reliable collision and exposure data, evaluation of interventions, evidence-based policy and intersectoral collaboration). CONCLUSIONS: Research conducted over the past 30 years has reported extensively on child PMVC risk factors. The challenge facing us now is how to move these findings into action and intervene to reduce the child PMVC injury and fatality rates worldwide.

The geographic and demographic distribution of residential fires, related injuries, and deaths in four Canadian provinces.

OBJECTIVE: A considerable number of Canadians are injured or killed every year as a result of residential fires. Until recently, the absence of representative national data limited our understanding of the current situation. This study used a novel dataset to describe the geographic and demographic distribution of residential fires and related casualties across 4 Canadian provinces and to explore changes over time. METHODS: A cross-sectional study design was applied to data from the National Fire Information Database, which reported fire incidents, locations, and associated casualties attended by a fire service across 4 Canadian provinces between 2005 and 2015. Residential fire incident, injury, and death rates were described and compared between sex and age groups. Simple linear regressions were used to assess the trends of casualty rates per population and per fire incidents over time. RESULTS: A total of 145,252 residential fires were reported for the provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, and Ontario, of which 5.5% resulted in casualties. Death and severe injury rates per population decreased significantly between 2005 and 2015, while casualties per 1000 house fires did not change. Death rates per house fire incidents were generally higher in urban than in remote areas but tended to increase as distance from city centres increased and moved closer to suburban areas. Injury rates were higher than death rates for all age groups and significantly higher for males than for females. CONCLUSION: These findings represent an important step forward in identifying the most vulnerable municipalities and populations to inform evidence-based cross-provincial efforts to reduce the societal burden of residential fires.

Inequities in Pediatric Abusive Head Trauma According to Neighborhood Social and Material Deprivation: A Population-Level Study in British Columbia, Canada.

OBJECTIVES: To explore the relationship between neighborhood social and material deprivation and the rates of abusive head trauma (AHT), and whether it differs according to sex, and following the implementation of the Period of PURPLE Crying (PURPLE) program. METHOD: A cross-sectional study design was applied to data from children 0 to 24 months old with a confirmed AHT diagnosis between 2005 and 2017 in British Columbia. Dissemination area-based social and material deprivation scores were assigned to residential areas, where AHT cases were recorded. Poisson regression models tested the relationship between deprivation scores and AHT rates, adding sex and pre-post program implementation as interaction terms. RESULTS: With each increase in material and social deprivation quintiles, AHT rates increased by 42% (95% CI [1.18, 1.72]) and 25% (95% CI [1.06, 1.51]), respectively, following a social gradient. AHT rate disparities between neighborhoods did not change following the PURPLE program implementation. CONCLUSIONS: This study stresses the need to provide additional AHT prevention services proportionately to the levels of neighborhood disadvantage, in addition to universal AHT programs, to successfully protect all children.

Association between neighbourhood socioeconomic features and residential fire incidence, related casualties and children: a cross-sectional population-based study in 4 Canadian provinces.

BACKGROUND: This study assessed whether socioeconomic factors affect the rates of residential fire incidence and fire-related injuries and deaths, and whether children are affected differently than the general population. METHODS: We employed a cross-sectional study design using data for British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba and Ontario from the National Fire Information Database, which includes fire incidents and losses reported by provincial fire marshals across Canada between 2005 and 2015. It also contains 2011 census subdivision social domain data from Statistics Canada based on fire location. Multivariable negative binomial regressions tested the significance of relations between census subdivision socioeconomic factors (average household size, educational attainment, median income and unemployment rate) and the rates of residential fires and casualties per person-year, and casualties per fire incident. RESULTS: Census subdivisions with higher educational attainment and unemployment rates had higher rates of residential fires (incidence rate ratio [IRR] 1.07, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.05-1.10, and IRR 1.24, 95% CI 1.18-1.31, respectively) and of residential fire casualties per person-year (IRR 1.09, 95% CI 1.05-1.13, and IRR 1.29, 95% CI 1.20-1.40, respectively). Census subdivisions with smaller average households had higher rates of residential fire casualties per person-year (IRR 0.43, 95% CI 0.22-0.83) and per fire incident (IRR 0.75, 95% CI 0.58-0.97), and the association was even stronger for children (IRR 0.17, 95% CI 0.08-0.36, and IRR 0.41, 95% CI 0.20-0.86, respectively). INTERPRETATION: The results suggest that efforts to prevent residential fires should be prioritized in neighbourhoods with higher educational attainment and unemployment, whereas house fire safety programs should be intensified in neighbourhoods with smaller households to prevent fire casualties, especially among children, once a fire does occur.

The lifetime costs of pediatric abusive head trauma and a cost-effectiveness analysis of the Period of Purple crying program in British Columbia, Canada.

BACKGROUND: Abusive head trauma (AHT) is a severe form of child abuse causing devastating outcomes for children and families, but its economic costs in Canada has yet to be determined. The Period of PURPLE crying program (PURPLE) is an AHT prevention program implemented in British Columbia for which success in reducing AHT events was recently reported. OBJECTIVE: This study estimated the lifetime costs to society of incidental AHT events and compared the benefits and associated costs of AHT before and after the implementation of the PURPLE program. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: Children aged 0-24 months old with a definite diagnosis of AHT between 2002 and 2014 in British Columbia were included in this study. METHODS: An incidence-based cost-of-illness analysis, using the human capital approach was used to quantify the lifetime costs of AHT events according to their severity (least severe, severe and fatal). A cost-effectiveness analysis of the PURPLE program was conducted from both a societal and a health services' perspectives using decision tree models. RESULTS: There were sixty-four AHT events between 2002-2014, resulting in a total cost of $354,359,080 to society. The costs associated with fatal, severe and least severe AHT averaged $7,147,548, $6,057,761 and $1,675,099, respectively. The investment of $5 per newborn through the PURPLE program resulted in a $273.52 and $14.49 per child cost avoidance by society and by the healthcare system. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides evidence to policymakers and health practitioners that investing upstream in well-developed AHT prevention programs, such as PURPLE, not only promote child safety and health, but also translates into avoided costs to society.

Public attitudes towards the preventability of transport and non-transport related injuries: Can a social marketing campaign make a difference?

Substantial efforts devoted to decreasing the burden of transport-related injuries (TRIs) in Canada, including public awareness campaigns aiming to influence attitudes and behaviors, may lead the public to perceive other types of injuries differently. This study examined the relationship between public perception of the preventability of injuries and the type of injury (TRIs vs. non-transport unintentional injuries (NTUIs)); and assessed whether exposure to a social marketing campaign (Preventable) influenced this association. A cross-sectional study design employed survey data collected by Preventable between 2015 and 2016 from 1501 British Columbians aged 25-54 years. A multiple linear regression model was applied to examine the relationship between the type of injury (TRIs vs. NTUIs) and attitudes towards preventability, controlling for socio-demographic variables. Exposure to the campaign was tested as an effect modifier. On a scale from 1 to 10, respondents perceived TRIs to be 1.08 points more preventable than NTUIs (95% CI: 1.00 to 1.16, p-value < 0.0001). Campaign-exposed participants scored 0.31 points higher on preventability of injuries overall (95% CI: 0.16 to 0.47, p-value < 0.0001); and recorded a smaller difference between the perceived preventability of TRIs and NTUIs, relative to those not exposed to the campaign (B = -0.163, 95% CI: -0.28 to -0.04, p-value = 0.008). While respondents believed that most injuries are preventable, exposure to considerable road traffic interventions in Canada may have influenced public attitudes towards a higher perceived preventability of TRIs. Social marketing may be a useful tool to emphasize the preventability of all injuries to further reduce their burden in Canada.

Adolescents' comfort answering questions about sexuality asked by their physicians.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the attitudes of adolescents toward communicating with their doctor about different aspects of their sexuality. METHODS: The present descriptive survey was conducted with the participation of teenagers from four high schools in Sherbrooke, Quebec. In each school, the students of two grade 8 classes (≤14 years of age) and two grade 10 classes (≥15 years of age) anonymously completed a self-administered questionnaire. Permission from the school board and parental consent for every participant was obtained. RESULTS: A total of 387 adolescents completed the self-administered questionnaire. The response rate for the study was 98%. Only 27% of the respondents remembered being questioned by their doctor about sexuality, and 17% of the respondents had already brought up the topic of sexuality themselves with their doctor. More than one-half (57%) of the adolescents reported they would be moderately comfortable to totally comfortable discussing sexuality with their doctor if they felt the need to. Overall, when asked to evaluate their degree of comfort if questioned on specific questions about their sexuality, 73.8% to 99.5% believed they would be moderately to totally comfortable responding. Nevertheless, there was a statistically significant difference between age groups, with the older age group being more comfortable than the younger age group (P<0.001). There was no difference between the level of comfort among boys and girls answering the same questions. Respondents believed that their treating physician should discuss sexuality with them (73.8%) and, in the majority of cases (78%), that he/she should initiate the conversation. CONCLUSION: Regardless of age or sex, teenagers considered themselves to be at ease discussing sexuality with their doctor and found it an important topic best brought up by their practitioner.

OBJECTIF: Évaluer les attitudes des adolescents envers la communication de divers aspects de leur sexualité à leur médecin. MÉTHODOLOGIE: Les chercheurs ont effectué le présent sondage descriptif avec la participation des adolescents de quatre écoles secondaires de Sherbrooke, au Québec. Dans chaque école, les étudiants de deux classes de 8e année (14 ans ou moins) et de deux classes de 10e année (15 ans ou plus) ont répondu anonymement à un questionnaire autoadministré. Les chercheurs avaient obtenu l'autorisation de la commission scolaire et le consentement parental à l'égard de chaque participant. RÉSULTATS: Au total, 387 adolescents ont rempli le questionnaire autoadministré. Le taux de réponse à l'étude s'élevait à 98 %. Seulement 27 % des répondants se souvenaient s'être fait poser des questions par leur médecin au sujet de la sexualité, et 17 % avaient déjà soulevé eux-mêmes la question avec leur médecin. Plus de la moitié (57 %) des adolescents ont déclaré qu'ils se seraient sentis modérément ou totalement à l'aise de discuter de sexualité avec leur médecin s'ils en ressentaient le besoin. Dans l'ensemble, lorsqu'on leur demandait d'évaluer leur degré d'aisance à se faire poser des questions précises sur leur sexualité, de 73,8 % à 99,5 % pensaient qu'ils seraient modérément ou totalement à l'aise d'y répondre. Néanmoins, on constatait une différence statistiquement significative entre les groupes d'âge, le groupe plus âgé se disant plus à l'aise que le groupe plus jeune (P<0,001). On ne constatait pas de différence entre le degré d'aisance des garçons et des filles à répondre aux mêmes questions. Les répondants trouvaient que leur médecin traitant devrait parler de sexualité avec eux (73,8 %) et, dans la majorité des cas (78 %), qu'il devrait amorcer la conversation. CONCLUSION: Quel que soit leur âge ou leur sexe, les adolescents se disaient à l'aise de discuter de sexualité avec leur médecin et trouvaient qu'il s'agissait d'un sujet important qu'ils préféraient voir soulevé par leur praticien.