What is a case-control study?

The authors conducted a meta-analysis of 150 studies in which the risk-taking tendencies of male and female participants were compared. Studies were coded with respect to type of task (e.g., self-reported behaviors vs. observed behaviors), task content (e.g., smoking vs. sex), and 5 age levels. Results showed that the average effects for 14 out of 16 types of risk taking were significantly larger than 0 (indicating greater risk taking in male participants) and that nearly half of the effects were greater than .20. However, certain topics (e.g., intellectual risk taking and physical skills) produced larger gender differences than others (e.g., smoking). In addition, the authors found that (a) there were significant shifts in the size of the gender gap between successive age levels, and (b) the gender gap seems to be growing smaller over time. The discussion focuses on the meaning of the results for theories of risk taking and the need for additional studies to clarify age trends.

Gender differences in risk taking: A meta-analysis.

This paper is a synopsis of a major report by the WHO which collates information on crashes worldwide. It summarises the key findings and the recommendations of the report. The central theme of the Report is the burden of road traffic injuries and the urgent need for governments and other key players to increase and sustain action to prevent road traffic injuries. The specific objectives are: to describe the burden, intensity, pattern and impacts of road traffic injuries at global, regional and national levels; to examine the key determinants and risk factors; to discuss interventions and strategies that can be employed to address the problem; and to make recommendations for action at local, national and international levels. Key findings include: road traffic injuries are a huge public health and development problem predicted to worsen if appropriate action is not taken; the majority of road traffic injuries occur in low- and middle-income countries; road safety should be addressed using a "systems approach;" road safety is a shared responsibility and public health has a key role to play; and road traffic injuries can be prevented. The Report concludes by offering six recommendations: identify a lead agency in government to guide the national road traffic safety effort; assess the problem, policies and institutional settings; prepare a national road safety strategy and plan of action; allocate financial and human resources to address the problem; implement specific actions to prevent road traffic crashes, minimize injuries and their consequences, and evaluate the impact of these actions; and support the development of national capacity and international co-operation.

World Report on Road Traffic Injury Prevention

Health promotion programs often lack a clearly specified theoretical foundation or are based on narrowly conceived conceptual models. For example, lifestyle modification programs typically emphasize individually focused behavior change strategies, while neglecting the environmental underpinnings of health and illness. This article compares three distinct, yet complementary, theoretical perspectives on health promotion: behavioral change, environmental enhancement, and social ecological models. Key strengths and limitations of each perspective are examined, and core principles of social ecological theory are used to derive practical guidelines for designing and evaluating community health promotion programs. Directions for future health promotion research are discussed, including studies examining the role of intermediaries (e.g., corporate decision-makers, legislators) in promoting the well-being of others, and those evaluating the duration and scope of intervention outcomes.

/pdf/translating-social-ecological-theory-into-guidelines-for-4py1s5d6ul.pdf

Translating social ecological theory into guidelines for community health promotion.

AASHTO (American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials). 2001. A Policy on Geometric Design of Highways and Streets. Fourth Edition. Washington, D.C.

Teenage drivers: patterns of risk.

Traffic accident involvement rates by driver age and gender.

Objectives: Older drivers have become a larger part of the driving population and will continue to do so as the baby boomers reach retirement age. The purpose of this study was to identify the potential effects of this population increase on highway safety. Methods: Driver involvement rates for all police reported crashes were calculated per capita, per licensed driver, and per vehicle-mile of travel for 1990 and 1995. Also, driver involvement rates for fatal crashes were calculated for 1983, 1990, and 1995. Based on current crash rates per licensed driver and estimates of the future number of licensed drivers, projections of crashes involving drivers aged 65 and older were made for years 2010, 2020, and 2030. Results: Driver crash involvement rates per capita decreased with age, but fatal involvement rates per capita increased starting at age 70. The same pattern existed for involvement rates per licensed driver. For both all crashes and fatal crashes, involvement rates per mile driven increased appreciably at age 70. Using projections of population growth, it was estimated that for all ages there will be a 34% increase in the number of drivers involved in police reported crashes and a 39% increase in the number involved in fatal crashes between 1999 and 2030. In contrast, among older drivers, police reported crash involvements are expected to increase by 178% and fatal involvements may increase by 155% by 2030. Drivers aged 65 and older will account for more than half of the total increase in fatal crashes and about 40% of the expected increase in all crash involvements; they are expected to account for as much as 25% of total driver fatalities in 2030, compared with 14% presently. Conclusions: By most measures, older drivers are at less risk of being involved in police reported crashes but at higher risk of being in fatal crashes. Although any projections of future crash counts have inherent uncertainty, there is strong evidence that older drivers will make up a substantially larger proportion of drivers involved in fatal crashes by 2030 because of future increases in the proportion of the population aged 65 and older, and trends toward increased licensure rates and higher annual mileage among older persons. Countermeasures to reduce the anticipated death toll among older drivers should address the increased susceptibility to injury of older vehicle occupants in crashes.

https://injuryprevention.bmj.com/content/injuryprev/8/2/116.full.pdf

Allan F. Williams

Papers

Teenage drivers: patterns of risk.

Traffic accident involvement rates by driver age and gender.

Older driver involvements in police reported crashes and fatal crashes: trends and projections

Fatal crash risk for older drivers at intersections.

The effect of teenage passengers on the fatal crash risk of teenage drivers