New Algorithm Helps ER Doctors and Trauma Surgeons Identify Children With Serious Neck Injuries

Cervical spinal injuries in children and adolescents are fortunately rare, but they can be serious, as they can lead to paralysis. Suspected injuries are diagnosed via X-rays and computed tomography (CT). But indiscriminate CT-related radiation can lead to cancers later in life. Emergency medical services (EMS), emergency department and trauma teams need better tools to determine which children have serious neck trauma needing spinal precautions, and which children have negligible injuries and don’t need the unnecessary radiation exposure.

Overcoming Challenges Encountered by Spanish-Speaking Trauma Patients

Many trauma patients face a myriad of challenges when recovering from a traumatic injury, problems that can be compounded when their English proficiency is limited. An outreach program to Spanish-speaking trauma patients can help improve access to follow-up care and community resources, according to a study published in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons (JACS)

LGBTQ+ students in collegiate recovery programs are doing very well but have unique needs

Compared to their cisgender/heterosexual peers, LGBTQ+ college students are at an elevated risk of substance use and mental health challenges. While collegiate recovery programs provide an array of support to students in recovery from substance use disorders, scarce research has examined the unique needs of LGBTQ+ students within this population.

Roxane Cohen Silver elected to the American Academy of Arts & Sciences

Acclaimed psychologist Roxane Cohen Silver of the University of California, Irvine – whose groundbreaking studies on stress and coping have advanced understanding of how traumatic incidents like terror attacks, infectious disease outbreaks and natural disasters affect people – has been elected a member by the American Academy of Arts & Sciences.

$6.5 Million Legacy Gift Enhances Emergency Medicine across University Hospitals

A significant estate gift of $6.5 million from the late Arthur D. and Kazuko Maine will support emergency medical care across the University Hospitals health system, expanding the now named Arthur D. and Kazuko Maine Trauma Unit at UH Ahuja Medical Center, establishing the first two endowed positions within emergency medicine at UH and supporting an endowed chair for orthopedic trauma.

Military, Civilian Trauma Convene for Advanced Combat Surgical Readiness Training

Military and civilian trauma experts from around the country convened for a three-day training event to reinforce vascular, plastic and orthopedic surgical skills for advanced combat surgical readiness. The program provided an opportunity to share trauma rehabilitation best practices, both within the military and civilian sectors.

Men Over 65 Are at Greater Risk than Women of Skull Fractures from Falls

Because females 65 and older have an increased rate of falls and facial fractures, researchers compared the risk of skull fracture secondary to head trauma in geriatric female and male patients. Results showed that males had a significantly increased incidence of skull fracture secondary to head trauma, due mostly to falls. This outcome was unexpected, as previous research has indicated females are more susceptible to facial fractures. This trend also was seen across race/ethnicity, though results were only statistically significant for whites.

Study by FSU researchers finds resilience to natural disasters lags in Black communities

Years after Hurricane Michael devastated Florida’s Gulf Coast, residents of that area are still struggling to overcome the trauma of the Category 5 storm. In a recent study, FSU researchers found that trauma and a host of psychosocial and physical challenges caused by Hurricane Michael are disproportionately affecting the region’s Black communities.

Over $5M Awarded to Community Violence Reduction Programs at Penn Medicine

The Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD) awarded over $5 million in grants to three community violence prevention and intervention programs across Penn Medicine. The Penn Medicine programs not only aim to reduce and prevent community violence, but also address the lasting impacts of violence on victims, such as treating their mental health, and helping them utilize social service agencies.

Children’s Surgery Verification Quality Improvement Program improves efficiency in treating children with traumatic injuries

Participation in the American College of Surgeons Children’s Surgery Verification (CSV) Quality-Improvement Program led to significant reductions in operating room wait times and improvement in other key metrics for children treated for traumatic femur fractures.

American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Introduces the Fracture & Trauma Registry Powered by PatientIQ

The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) today announced the Fracture & Trauma Registry (FTR) will now be powered by PatientIQ. This new partnership will offer healthcare institutions a turnkey solution for FTR participation, thus reducing barriers to tracking evidence-based practices and advancing the delivery of musculoskeletal care.

Pandemic Escalated Teen Cyberbullying – Asian Americans Targeted Most

A study of U.S. middle and high school students shows that about 17 percent were cyberbullied in 2016 and 2019, but that proportion rose to 23 percent in 2021. Notably, 19 percent of Asian American youth said they had been cyberbullied, and about 1 in 4 (23.5 percent) indicated they were victimized online because of their race/color. Asian American youth were the only racial group where the majority (59 percent) reported more cyberbullying since the start of the COVID‐19 pandemic. In 2019, Asian American youth were the least likely to have experienced cyberbullying.

New Emergency General Surgery Verification Program releases inaugural standards for quality care in emergency general surgery

The American College of Surgeons (ACS) and the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma (AAST) announced the launch of the Emergency General Surgery Verification Program (EGS-VP), a new surgical quality program that will help hospitals establish and maintain the highest standards in emergency general surgery.

Bike Helmets: Finding the Right Fit For Your Child

Follow these tips to make sure your child’s helmet is safe. A bike helmet can literally be a lifesaver for a child—dramatically reducing the chances of a head or brain injury from a bike, scooter or skateboard accident. But did you know that a helmet has to fit right to do its job? If it’s too small, too loose, or not positioned correctly, it may not protect your child.

FAU Awarded $1 Million to Help Prevent Injury, Death from Falls in Older Adults

Every second, an older person in the U.S. falls and injures themselves, and every 20 minutes one of them dies from the fall. The Geriatric Emergency Department Fall Injury Prevention Project will investigate several emergency department-based prevention strategies in older patients at high risk for recurrent falls and injury. The tailored multicomponent intervention will identify effective fall prevention strategies that target limited resources to high-risk individuals who come to the emergency department to improve patient outcomes, improve safety, and reduce overall costs of health care.

NSF supports research studying how Russia’s invasion of Ukraine affects Americans

Irvine, Calif., May 2, 2022 — The National Science Foundation has awarded a Rapid Response Research grant of nearly $175,000 to University of California, Irvine researchers seeking to gauge the effect that the reporting of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in traditional and social media outlets has on the mental health of U.S. citizens.