Nebraska Injury Prevention and Control News

Issue #41                               March 2015

st-patricks-header9.jpg The DHHS Injury Prevention program would like to wish you a happy St. Patrick's Day. We hope you have a safe, healthy and happy 2015. 

DID YOU KNOW?

March 1-7 is National Consumer Protection Week!

Check out SaferProducts.gov to read reports about unsafe products!

Quick Links


Safe Kids NE Events Calendar

 

DHHS Nebraska Injury Prevention and Control Program

  

Nebraskans Saved by the Belt

Share your story today!

 

  

Safety Observances

  

Brain Injury Awareness Month, March

 

National Poison Prevention Week, March 15-21

 

Distracted Driving Awareness Month, April

 

 

Alcohol Awareness Month, April

 

 

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 Resources

Check out the Injury Prevention Priority Areas below for resources related to motor vehicle crashes, prescription drug overdose prevention, older adult falls and traumatic brain injury/youth concussions.


 

New Fact Sheets

The Children's Safety Network has provided information on their website including Nebraska fact sheets on seatbelt use and drunk driving from the CDC and other helpful information on both of these topics.

 

Injury Prevention in the News

A Local Nebraska Mother Works to Make School Buses Safer

On Monday, February 23 Dawn Prescott presented to the legislature's Transportation and Telecommunications Committee. Having survived a bus accident in 2001 that her 14-year-old son did not, Prescott is especially passionate about making all buses safer. She testified in support of legislation requiring that when schools replace buses, they do so with new ones that have lap and shoulder belts. See the full story here. 


 

Teen Dating Violence
February was National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month, and while February is over now, being proactive against teen dating violence is a year around mission. The CDC defines teen dating violence as "physical, sexual, psychological, or emotional violence that may occur within a relationship." To learn more about teen dating violence and warning signs to look for, click here.  

 

2013 Fatality Data Now Available 

Have you ever wanted data on an injury area?  CDC has a Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System or WISQARS that can give reports on fatal injury, leading causes of death and years of potential life lost.  It is state specific.  The 2013 data is now available, give it a try.

 

National Poison Prevention Week March 15-21

National Poison Prevention Week raises awareness of poison prevention nationwide during the third full week of March every year. The week is an opportunity to highlight the dangers of poisonings for people of all ages and promote community involvement in poisoning prevention.

 

Did you know the Nebraska Regional Poison Center is one of 55 poison centers in the United States, handled 47,689 incoming calls in 2013, and takes calls from Nebraska, Wyoming, Idaho and American Samoa. The center's specially-trained team of nurses, physician assistants and physicians, will assess any situation and recommend treatments in a matter of minutes. When dealing with poisonings, those few precious minutes could save a life.

The toll free number is 1-800-222-1222. 

 

For more educational information about poison prevention visit these websites:

Nebraska Regional Poison Center

Safe Kids Worldwide Poisoning Prevention Tips
 

Safe Kids Nebraska  

New Research Reveals Parents Unaware of Hazards in the Home

Safe Kids Worldwide Study Shows Families Can Do More to Protect their Children

 

With the nation still talking about the Nationwide Super Bowl ad that brought dramatic attention to the number one killer of kids, preventable injuries, Safe Kids Worldwide is releasing new research that reveals the scope of the problem in a place most parents assume is safe: the home.

 

"Report to the Nation: Protecting Children in Your Home," a report made possible by funding from Nationwide, is based on a survey of 1,010 parents of children 12 and under.

 

It explores what parents are concerned about and what they do ̶ or don't do ̶ to keep kids safe in the home.

 

Nebraska Child Passenger Safety Technician Update

This year's update will take place March 31 and April 1 in Kearney, Nebraska.  This update gives CPSTs in Nebraska an opportunity to earn CEUs toward recertification while learning about some of the latest technology and educational updates involving child passenger safety. Registration is now open and free to Nebraska CPSTs. 

 

Child Passenger Safety Technician Training
Are you interested in becoming a child passenger safety technician (CPST)? Once again technician training classes will be offered in Nebraska. You can visit www.safekidsnebraska.org to find out more information including how to register. Registration is now open for the Kearney and Omaha classes.
2015 class dates for Nebraska:
  • April 13-16, Kearney
  • June 17-20, Omaha
  • August, Ogallala

  • September/Oct, Lincoln

More information to be posted on the Safe Kids Nebraska website as class details are finalized. 

Priorities for Nebraska Injury Prevention

Check this section monthly for updates on partner activities, new data, announcements, etc. related to the Nebraska State Injury Prevention Priority Areas (older adult falls, prescription drug poisoning, motor vehicle crashes, and TBI/concussions). Please share your related activities or updates with us at ([email protected]). 

  
Motor Vehicle

Drinking and Driving Declines While Drugged Driving Increases

The good news is that new data shows drinking and driving is at its lowest rate since 1973. Unfortunately, driving under the influence of drugs has shown an increase since 2007, the increase is especially significant with drugs like marijuana.

 

Are GDL Laws Actually Effective?

The state of Massachusetts set out to evaluate the effect of the graduated driving laws implemented in the state in 2007. Results from the study showed that the rate of total motor vehicle crashes and fatal motor vehicle crashes in the age groups effected by the law changes have decreased, proving once again that GDL laws help keep teen drivers safe.

 

Falls

CDC Study Shows Evidence Based Falls Programs Are Cost Effective

A new study by the CDC has shown that three programs, Tai chi: Moving for Better Balance, Stepping On, and  The Otago Exercise Program, are much less costly in preventing falls than the potential medical costs incurred from falls. The Nebraska Injury Prevention Program is working with four local/district health departments to implement Tai Chi: Moving for Better Balance in their communities.  Additionally, Stepping On is being implemented beginning this spring by the Scotts Bluff County Health Department and the Public Health Solutions Health Department. 
 

 

Concussions 

Did you know that in 2010, 2.5 million emergency department visits, hospitalizations, or deaths were related to Traumatic Brain Injuries?

While you may not have known this before, the CDC has created "The Guide" to provide statistics and information on all things relating to traumatic brain injuries(TBI). The guide was created to assist those who frequently write about TBI's in the news and on social media.  

 

Prescription Drug Overdose

Can Prescription Drug Addiction Lead to Heroin Use?

A study put together by the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids has shown that nearly half of young people who inject heroin started out abusing prescription drugs. To hear a true story of a heroin addicted teen and see an insightful infographic, click here. 

Contact Us            
Peg Ogea-Ginsburg, MA 
Injury Prevention Program Coordinator

Jason Kerkman, MPH

Safe Kids Nebraska Coordinator 

[email protected]


Jeanne Bietz, MA

Motor Vehicle Policy Grant Project Coordinator
 
Ashley Newmyer, MPH, CPH
Epidemiology Surveillance Coordinator
Injury Prevention and Control E-News is a monthly newsletter distributed to partners of the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services Injury Prevention and Control Program.
 

Feedback? Email us at [email protected]