Thesis (M.A.)--University of North Texas, Dec., 2007. / Title from title page display. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis(M.S.)--Auburn University, 2008. / Abstract. Vita. Includes bibliographic references (p.96-99).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 2000. / Computer printout. "April 2000." "March 7, 2000"--Cover. Includes bibliographical references (p. 360-377).

The casualty rate of road vehicle accidents in South Africa is one of the highest in the world. This trend has persisted with little variation over the years, despite the efforts of local road safety organisations and research institutions to decrease them. Some of these road vehicle accidents are due to a mechanical failure of the vehicle. The main goal of this study is to establish how high the incidence of mechanical failure is in these accidents. And further to assess if these percentages of mechanical failures do coincide with trends already indicated nationally as well as internationally. Detailed information on the condition of vehicles was collected in and around the Pretoria area. Surveys were conducted to obtain local road and traffic information about vehicle conditions. The one survey was defined as Potential Mechanical Defect Tests (PMDT) where vehicles were stopped and given a brief mechanical inspection, and the other was a Minibus Survey where information was obtained about the age of the vehicle and the overall condition and pressure of tyres. Additional information was obtained from the Accident Response Unit (ARU) and the Forensic Sciences Laboratories, both of the South African Police Services in Pretoria. The findings of the study are that according to the data collected by the ARU over a period of 2,5 years, on average 3,3% of the accidents reported per year in the region were caused by mechanical failures. These identified percentages correspond with values obtained for international countries. The PMDT data indicate that 40% of the vehicles surveyed in suburban areas and 29% of the vehicles surveyed on the highway had mechanical defects that contravened current road and traffic regulations. The difference between the percentages indicates that the condition of vehicles inspected in the suburban area differs significantly from the condition of those using the highway. In the Minibus Survey, large irregularities in tyre pressure were identified as cause for concern. In general, all of the above findings indicated that maintenance on older vehicles seemed to receive less attention. It is proposed that annual vehicle inspections should be introduced, especially for vehicles carrying fare-paying passengers, to improve road safety standards on South African roads. / Dissertation (M Eng (Mechanical Engineering))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering / unrestricted

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is considered the “signature injury” for United States Veterans who deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), and Operation New Dawn (OND) since 2001. Veterans with TBI may be at higher risk for subsequent intentional and unintentional injuries due to cognitive and executive function impairments from the injury and co-occurring psychiatric conditions. This dissertation evaluated the association between TBI and attempted suicide, motor vehicle accidents, and opioid overdose, in a large cohort of United States OEF/OIF/OND Veterans aged 18 to 40 who received care in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). These studies utilized data from the VHA electronic medical records collected between April 2007 and September 2012. Study 1 evaluated the association between TBI and attempted suicide. Veterans with TBI had approximately a 4-fold increased risk of attempted suicide compared to those without, adjusting for demographics (adjusted hazard ratio (aHR): 3.73, 95% CI = 3.07, 4.53). The mediation analyses suggested that the psychiatric conditions substantially attenuated the impact of TBI on attempted suicide (aHR: 1.25 (95% CI = 1.05, 1.48). Study 2 evaluated the association between TBI and motor vehicle accidents. Veterans with TBI had a 56% increased risk of motor vehicle accident compared to those without, adjusting for demographics (aHR: 1.58, 95% CI = 1.27, 1.97). However, the mediation analyses attenuated this association (aHR: 1.17, 95% CI = 0.96, 1.43). Study 3 evaluated the association between TBI and opioid overdose among OEF/OIF/OND Veterans receiving long-term opioid treatment for non-cancer, chronic pain. Veterans with TBI had 2-fold increased risk for opioid overdose compared to those without, adjusting for demographics (aHR: 2.00, 95% CI = 1.26, 3.16). Nevertheless, the mediation analyses suggested that psychiatric conditions attenuated the impact of TBI on opioid overdose (aHR: 1.38, 95% CI = 0.94, 2.01). In conclusion, these studies add to the literature about risk of intentional and unintentional injuries among Veterans with TBI. Additionally, it highlights that Veterans with TBI and at least one co-morbid psychiatric condition are a particularly vulnerable group with the highest risk for injuries.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

MIRTINGUMO NUO IŠORINIŲ MIRTIES PRIEŽASČIŲ TRENDAI LIETUVOS MIESTO IR KAIMO KOHORTOSE 1967 - 2006 62 puslapiai, 32 grafikai, 2 lentelės. Raktažodžiai: amžiaus - periodo - kohortos analizė, mirtingumas, trendas, savižudybės, autotransporto įvykiai. Tyrimo tikslas: Nustatyti detalius mirtingumo dinamikos nuo savižudybių ir autotransporto įvykių ypatumus 40 - ies metų laikotarpiu priklausomai nuo lyties ir gyvenamosios vietos. Uždaviniai: Apskaičiuoti pagrindinius dinamikos parametrus - amžių, periodą, kohortas ir nustatyti jų įtaką dinamikos procesui; Išanalizuoti du svarbiausius mirtingumo dinamikos faktorius kiekvienai mirties priežasčiai ir sumodeliuoti šių faktorių poveikio kartu įtaką šiam procesui pagal lytį ir gyvenamąją vietą. Nustatyti, kaip paamžiniai mirtingumo rodikliai kinta kiekviename kohortos penkmetiniame intervale, koks šių kreivių lygis įvairiose kohortose ir kaip tai skiriasi pagal lytį ir gyvenamąją vietą. Metodai: Mirčių duomenys nuo savižudybių ir autotransporto įvykių Lietuvoje nuo 1967 iki 2006 m. buvo sugrupuoti į 17 amžiaus grupių ir 8 penkmetinius periodus. Duomenų analizei panaudotas Poissono regresijos metodas pritaikytas amžiaus - periodo - kohortos modelių efektams atskirti. Rezultatai: Ir moterų ir vyrų kaimo populiacijos mirtingumo nuo savižudybių tendencija buvo ryškiai didėjanti per visą analizuojamą periodą. Miesto moterų populiacijoje mirtingumo rodikliai nuo savižudybių mažėjo, išskyrus didėjančius senyvo amžiaus grupių rodiklius. Miesto... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / MORTALITY TRENDS FROM EXTERNAL CAUSES AMONG URBAN AND RURAL COHORTS IN LITHUANIA 1967 - 2006 62 pages, 32 graphics, 2 tables. Keywords: age – period – cohort analysis, mortality, trends, suicide, vehicle accidents. Research aim: The aim of this study was to examine particular trends of mortality from suicide and vehicle accidents during 40 years period subject to sex and place of residence. The tasks of the research work were as follows: To calculate basic parameters of mortality trends - age, period and cohorts and detect their influence to the process; To analyze two most important factors to variation for each cause of the death and to simulate this along factors' influence to the procces subject to sex and place of residence. To find out how subsequent mortality rates vary in each cohort quinquennial interval, what is the difference of these curves levels in different cohorts and how they differ between sex and place of residence. Methods: Deaths due to suicides and vehicle accidents in the period from 1967 through 2006 and the corresponding population figures were grouped into 17 age groups and 8 5-year periods. These were fitted to Poisson regression models to assess age, period, and cohort effects. Results: Both women's and men's mortality trends from suicides increased dramatically through analyzed period. Trends of urban women's suicide mortality have decreased, except increasing trends of the elderly. Urban men's population had experienced increasing trends from... [to full text]