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Date: April 29, 2024 Mon
Time: 8:29 pm
Time: 8:29 pm
Results for public health issues
3 results foundAuthor: Loxton, Deborah Title: Measuring Domestic Violence in Longitudinal Research Summary: Domestic violence is a serious public health problem. Experiences of domestic violence are associated with a plethora of mental health problems, such as anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and suicidal behaviour. In addition, women effected by domestic violence have poor physical health, with chronic pain and chronic disease associated with domestic violence experiences. It is estimated that one third of women experience domestic violence worldwide. However, prevalence statistics for domestic violence vary widely depending on the sample composition, including factors such as age, cultural background, and the source of the sample. Domestic violence is a problem for women of all ages, however, the highest point prevalence is found in young women, followed by middle-aged women and then older women. Prevalence rates of domestic violence also vary depending on the cultural background of the sample. For example, the WHO multi-country study on women's health and domestic violence was undertaken across 10 countries: Thailand, Bangladesh, the United Republic of Tanzania, Ethiopia, Brazil, Japan, Samoa, Serbia, Montenegro, Peru, and Namibia. Despite consistency in measurement instruments, prevalence rates varied widely between settings, with 15% to 71% of women reporting experiences of sexual or physical partner violence. Prevalence rates are often not comparable and differ depending on the source of the sample. For example, samples drawn from clinical settings have consistently reported higher prevalence rates for domestic violence than samples drawn from the general population. For instance, Abbott, Johnson, Koziol-McLain and Lowenstein recruited participants from hospital emergency departments and reported that 54% of participants had experienced domestic violence. By contrast, 5-26% of women reported experiencing domestic violence in a nationally representative sample. Given the health issues that are associated with domestic violence, this is not a surprising result. The number and type of questions that are asked of women also influence prevalence statistics. For example, Devries et al. found that asking a single question about abuse elicits far fewer disclosures than asking the same women about abuse with a more comprehensive instrument. Questions that ask women to identify their experiences as 'violent' or 'abusive' might lead to fewer responses than items that ask about specific behaviours. The mode of data collection may also influence responses to questions about abuse. Tourangeau and Smith found that higher rates of sensitive behaviours were reported in self-administered surveys compared to surveys that were administered by interviewers. In addition to sample composition, the number and types of questions asked, mode of data collection, and the time since the abuse occurred might also impact on prevalence rates. Some longitudinal research has demonstrated that there are inconsistencies in the reporting of abuse and adversity over time. Pachana, Brilleman and Dobson found that more than half of participants inconsistently reported being grabbed, shoved, pushed, kicked or hit. That is, participants responded that they had experienced the abuse at one point but at subsequent surveys (3 and 6 years later) reported that the event had not happened. In addition, two thirds of participants inconsistently reported sexual abuse. Inconsistent responses have also been observed for childhood sexual abuse, with one third of participants inconsistently reporting this form of abuse over time. The research to date suggests that domestic violence might be subject to inconsistent reporting over time but the scope of the issue has not been assessed. Further, the types of abuse most prone to inconsistent reporting have not been examined. In addition, the reasons why women might report domestic violence inconsistently have not been explored. The aims of this project are to: - determine why there is inconsistency in responding to abuse items, - investigate the degree to which an inconsistent response indicates the presence or absence of abuse events, and - examine the relative validity of asking about abuse using different timeframes Details: Callaghan NSW , Australia: Research Centre for Generational Health and Ageing, University of Newcastle, 2017. 44p. Source: Internet Resource: Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health: Accessed December 6, 2018 at: https://plan4womenssafety.dss.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Measuring-Domestic-Violence-in-Longitudinal-Research.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Australia URL: https://plan4womenssafety.dss.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/Measuring-Domestic-Violence-in-Longitudinal-Research.pdf Shelf Number: 153916 Keywords: Abused Women Domestic Violence Family Violence Intimate Partner Violence Public Health IssuesSpouse Abuse Violence Against Women |
Author: Jack, Shane P.D. Title: Surveillance for Violent Deaths-- National Violent Death Reporting System, 27 States, 2015 Summary: Problem/Condition: In 2015, approximately 62,000 persons died in the United States as a result of violence-related injuries. This report summarizes data from CDC's National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS) regarding violent deaths from 27 U.S. states for 2015. Results are reported by sex, age group, race/ethnicity, location of injury, method of injury, circumstances of injury, and other selected characteristics. Reporting Period: 2015. Description of System: NVDRS collects data regarding violent deaths obtained from death certificates, coroner/medical examiner reports, law enforcement reports, and secondary sources (e.g., child fatality review team data, supplemental homicide reports, hospital data, and crime laboratory data). This report includes data from 27 states that collected statewide data for 2015 (Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Hawaii, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, and Wisconsin). NVDRS collates documents for each death and links deaths that are related (e.g., multiple homicides, a homicide followed by a suicide, or multiple suicides) into a single incident. Results: For 2015, NVDRS captured 30,628 fatal incidents involving 31,415 deaths in the 27 states included in this report. The majority (65.1%) of deaths were suicides, followed by homicides (23.5%), deaths of undetermined intent (9.5%), legal intervention deaths (1.3%) (i.e., deaths caused by law enforcement and other persons with legal authority to use deadly force, excluding legal executions), and unintentional firearm deaths (<1.0%). (The term "legal intervention" is a classification incorporated into the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision [ICD-10] and does not denote the lawfulness or legality of the circumstances surrounding a death caused by law enforcement.) Demographic patterns varied by manner of death. Suicide rates were highest among males, non-Hispanic American Indian/Alaska Natives, non-Hispanic whites, adults aged 45-54 years, and men aged ≥75 years. The most common method of injury was a firearm. Suicides often were preceded by a mental health, intimate partner, substance abuse, or physical health problem, or a crisis during the previous or upcoming 2 weeks. Homicide rates were higher among males and persons aged <1 year and 20-34 years. Among males, non-Hispanic blacks accounted for the majority of homicides and had the highest rate of any racial/ethnic group. Homicides primarily involved a firearm, were precipitated by arguments and interpersonal conflicts, were related to intimate partner violence (particularly for females), or occurred in conjunction with another crime. When the relationship between a homicide victim and a suspected perpetrator was known, an acquaintance/friend or an intimate partner frequently was involved. Legal intervention death rates were highest among males and persons aged 20-54 years; rates among non-Hispanic black males were approximately double the rates of those among non-Hispanic white males. Precipitating circumstances for legal intervention deaths most frequently were an alleged criminal activity in progress, the victim reportedly using a weapon in the incident, a mental health or substance abuse problem (other than alcohol abuse), an argument or conflict, or a recent crisis (during the previous or upcoming 2 weeks). Unintentional firearm deaths were more frequent among males, non-Hispanic whites, and persons aged 10–24 years; these deaths most often occurred while the shooter was playing with a firearm and most often were precipitated by a person unintentionally pulling the trigger or mistakenly thinking the firearm was unloaded. Deaths of undetermined intent were more frequent among males, particularly non-Hispanic black and American Indian/Alaska Native males, and persons aged 30–54 years. Substance abuse, mental health problems, physical health problems, and a recent crisis were the most common circumstances preceding deaths of undetermined intent. In 2015, approximately 3,000 current or former military personnel died by suicide. The majority of these decedents were male, non-Hispanic white, and aged 45-74 years. Most suicides among military personnel involved a firearm and were precipitated by mental health, physical health, and intimate partner problems, as well as a recent crisis. Interpretation: This report provides a detailed summary of data from NVDRS for 2015. The results indicate that deaths resulting from self-inflicted or interpersonal violence most frequently affect males and certain age groups and minority populations. Mental health problems, intimate partner problems, interpersonal conflicts, and general life stressors were primary precipitating events for multiple types of violent deaths, including suicides among current or former military personnel. Public Health Action: NVDRS data are used to monitor the occurrence of violence-related fatal injuries and assist public health authorities in the development, implementation, and evaluation of programs and policies to reduce and prevent violent deaths. For example, Virginia VDRS data are used to help identify suicide risk factors among active duty service members, Oregon VDRS suicide data are used to coordinate information and activities across community agencies that support veterans and active duty service members, and Arizona VDRS data are used to develop recommendations for primary care providers who deliver care to veterans. The continued development and expansion of NVDRS to include all 50 states, U.S. territories, and the District of Columbia are essential to public health efforts to reduce deaths due to violence. Details: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2018. 36p. Source: Internet Resource: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, Surveillance Summaries / Vol. 67 / No. 11: Accessed December 6, 2018 at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6181254/pdf/ss6711a1.pdf Year: 2018 Country: United States URL: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6181254/pdf/ss6711a1.pdf Shelf Number: 153921 Keywords: Child DeathsGun ViolenceGun-Related ViolenceHomicidesMurdersPolice Deadly ForcePublic Health IssuesSuicides Violence |
Author: Ontario Public Health Association Title: The Public Health Implications of the Legalization of Recreational Cannabis Summary: Canada's Task Force on Cannabis Legislation and Legalization was first assembled in June of 2016 to consult and provide advice on the design of a new legislative and regulatory framework for legal access to cannabis, consistent with the Federal Government's commitment to "legalize, regulate, and restrict access." A Cannabis Act has now been tabled in the House of Commons and is expected to become law in July, 2018. Under this new law, Canada's provinces and territories will be responsible to license and oversee the distribution and sale of cannabis, subject to Federal conditions, and will have the power to: - increase the minimum age in their province or territory (but not lower it) - lower the personal possession limit in their jurisdiction - create additional rules for growing cannabis at home, such as lowering the number of plants per residence; and - restrict where adults can consume cannabis, such as in public or in vehicles. While medicinal uses for cannabis is gaining acceptance, there are public health implications associated with cannabis use. Specifically, the following are potential harms: - risk of toxicity - unintended exposure to children - high mortality and morbidity attributable to cannabis, including motor vehicle accidents, lung cancer and substance use disorders - occupational safety risks - negative mental health outcomes - respiratory health impacts - impaired child and youth development - equity implications considering differential usage rates across gender and income levels In light of these developments and the potential harms above, OPHA calls on both the Federal and Provincial government to put health considerations at the forefront and adopt a public health approach to mitigate these harms. This would entail: - Using public health strategies including: -- Health promotion to reduce the likelihood of use and problematic use; -- Health protection to reduce the harms associated with use; -- Prevention and harm reduction to reduce the likelihood of problematic use and overdose; -- Population health assessment to understand the extent of the situation, and the potential impact of the interventions, policies, and programs on the population (evaluation); -- Disease, injury and disability surveillance to understand the effect on society and to evaluate the effects of these activities; and -- Evidence-based services to help protect people who are at risk of developing, or have developed problems with substances. - Applying principles of social justice, attention to human rights and equity, evidence-informed policy and practice, and addressing the underlying determinants of health OPHA calls for a Federal and Provincial regulatory regime that advances the goals outlined in the Federal Task Force on Cannabis Legalization and Regulation's 2016 discussion paper. Details: Toronto, ONT: Author, 2017. 70p. Source: Internet Resource: Position Paper: Accessed May 7, 2019 at: https://opha.on.ca/getmedia/6b05a6bc-bac2-4c92-af18-62b91a003b1b/The-Public-Health-Implications-of-the-Legalization-of-Recreational-Cannabis.pdf.aspx?ext=.pdf Year: 2017 Country: Canada URL: https://opha.on.ca/getmedia/6b05a6bc-bac2-4c92-af18-62b91a003b1b/The-Public-Health-Implications-of-the-Legalization-of-Recreational-Cannabis.pdf.aspx?ext=.pdf Shelf Number: 155671 Keywords: Cannabis Drug Legalization Evidence-Informed Policy Marijuana Marijuana Legalization Public Health IssuesRecreational Marijuana |