Health News
- Centers For Disease Control Working To Find Ways To Prevent Traumatic Brain Injury; Affects One In Five Kentucky Households
The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is using a public-health approach to find strategies to prevent traumatic brain injuries and reduce the physical, psychological, economic and social impacts they cause. Image: brainline.orgTraumatic...
- How To Keep Kids Safe From Traumatic Brain Injuries This Summer
About 1.7 million people in the U.S. suffer a traumatic brain injury each year, and nearly half a million children under 15 visit an emergency room for TBI. A brain injury is traumatic if it disrupts the normal function of the brain. Dr. Michael Egnor,...
- Kentucky Ranks High In Prescription Drug Abuse, But Also Is A National Leader In Efforts To Fight It, State-by-state Analysis Says
By Molly Burchett Kentucky Health News A new report finds many states do not have effective strategies in place to fight prescription drug abuse, but Kentucky scores high on most prevention measures, indicating that the state is working hard to combat...
- Conway, Other Ags Ask Fda To Require Generic Prescription Pain Pills To Be Abuse-resistant, Tamper-resistant
Generic versions of popular pain relievers must be made harder to abuse, in order to curb prescription drug abuse that is epidemic in many states, Attorney General Jack Conway and 47 other attorneys general said in a letter sent to federal officials Monday....
- Bike Helmets Are A Must
It?s the time of year to jump back on the bike and enjoy the spring weather. But before you head for the Gwynn Falls Trail, remember your bike helmet. Even experienced bike riders cannot always avoid collisions. According to the Centers for Disease Control...
Health News
Kentucky ranks 10th in nation for injury-related deaths
Injuries are the third leading cause of death nationally, the leading cause of death for Americans between the ages of 1 and 44. Kentucky is among the nation's most problematic states, and it could take several more steps to prevent injuries, says a new state-by-state report on injury-prevention policy.
Kentucky ranks 10th in the nation for injury-related deaths, with a rate of 76.5 such deaths per 100,000 people, and the state spends about $26.8 million for injury-related medical expenses. New Mexico has the highest rate of injury-related deaths, 97.8 per 100,000 people, and New Jersey has the lowest at 36.1. The national rate is 57.9, so Kentucky's rate is almost a third higher than the nation.
Kentucky scored with only three of a set of 10 key indicators for injury prevention: its primary seat belt law, which most states also have; its prescription drug monitoring program, driven by heavy abuse of painkillers; and a strong law on youth sports concussions. Among the injury-prevention indicators that Kentucky lacks, it does not:
The report by the Trust for America?s Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation concludes that millions of injuries could be prevented and billions of dollars could be saved in medical costs each year if more states adopted, implemented and enforced additional research-based injury prevention policies and programs. (Read more).
Kentucky ranks 10th in the nation for injury-related deaths, with a rate of 76.5 such deaths per 100,000 people, and the state spends about $26.8 million for injury-related medical expenses. New Mexico has the highest rate of injury-related deaths, 97.8 per 100,000 people, and New Jersey has the lowest at 36.1. The national rate is 57.9, so Kentucky's rate is almost a third higher than the nation.
Kentucky scored with only three of a set of 10 key indicators for injury prevention: its primary seat belt law, which most states also have; its prescription drug monitoring program, driven by heavy abuse of painkillers; and a strong law on youth sports concussions. Among the injury-prevention indicators that Kentucky lacks, it does not:
- Require bicycle helmets for all children.
- Require that children ride in a car seat or booster seat to at least the age of eight.
- Require helmets for all motorcycle riders. (It once did, but when the law was repealed, deaths rose 50 percent, the report says.)
- Does not require mandatory ignition interlocks for convicted drunk drivers.
- Does not allow people in dating relationships to get protection orders.
The report by the Trust for America?s Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation concludes that millions of injuries could be prevented and billions of dollars could be saved in medical costs each year if more states adopted, implemented and enforced additional research-based injury prevention policies and programs. (Read more).
- Centers For Disease Control Working To Find Ways To Prevent Traumatic Brain Injury; Affects One In Five Kentucky Households
The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is using a public-health approach to find strategies to prevent traumatic brain injuries and reduce the physical, psychological, economic and social impacts they cause. Image: brainline.orgTraumatic...
- How To Keep Kids Safe From Traumatic Brain Injuries This Summer
About 1.7 million people in the U.S. suffer a traumatic brain injury each year, and nearly half a million children under 15 visit an emergency room for TBI. A brain injury is traumatic if it disrupts the normal function of the brain. Dr. Michael Egnor,...
- Kentucky Ranks High In Prescription Drug Abuse, But Also Is A National Leader In Efforts To Fight It, State-by-state Analysis Says
By Molly Burchett Kentucky Health News A new report finds many states do not have effective strategies in place to fight prescription drug abuse, but Kentucky scores high on most prevention measures, indicating that the state is working hard to combat...
- Conway, Other Ags Ask Fda To Require Generic Prescription Pain Pills To Be Abuse-resistant, Tamper-resistant
Generic versions of popular pain relievers must be made harder to abuse, in order to curb prescription drug abuse that is epidemic in many states, Attorney General Jack Conway and 47 other attorneys general said in a letter sent to federal officials Monday....
- Bike Helmets Are A Must
It?s the time of year to jump back on the bike and enjoy the spring weather. But before you head for the Gwynn Falls Trail, remember your bike helmet. Even experienced bike riders cannot always avoid collisions. According to the Centers for Disease Control...