Earlier this week I commented on the insight into research deficits which can be highlighted in reviews of the extant literature. In particular, I commented on the need for consistent and complete data collection which is suitable for a variety of research purposes and which ultimately can inform the development and refinement of policy and […]
Latest articles
More momentum towards gun control
Since the tragic shooting of 20 schoolchildren in Connecticut a short while ago, there has been a flurry of activity in the U.S. that represents an attempt at improving gun control. Some of the developments have been reported in earlier blogs; this one is simply an update so that readers outside the U.S. can appreciate […]
Firearm research mentioned by US Vice President Biden in response to gun violence
Joe Biden has begun to offer an outline of what he will recommend to the US president as a policy response to gun violence. Early indications suggest that recommendations will include universal background checks for gun buyers, closing the “gun show loophole,” and prohibitions on large capacity magazines. Interestingly, the press is also reporting that Biden would like to remedy the de facto […]
More on gun control in the US
Two stories in the Washington Post caught my attention. The first describes Gun Homicides and Gun Ownership by Country and reveals, not surprisingly, that “The United States has the highest gun ownership rate in the world and the highest per capita rate of firearm-related murders of all developed countries.” When ranked by rate of ownership, […]
Reviews not only keep us informed, they highlight research deficits
Reviews such as the “Graduated Driver Licensing Research Review, 2010 – Present” released in November by the AAA Foundation of Traffic Safety (see link below) provide an excellent summary of recent research for researchers, practitioners, and policy-makers alike. Williams, Tefft and Grabowski succinctly summarise a multitude of research projects. Perhaps most importantly, however, is their […]
A new hazard for children: Hair straightener burns
An injury prevention group in Ireland has sounded an alarm over burns from hair straighteners for children. The Children’s Hospital noted that 17 children three months to nine years attended A&E (ERs) in 2009-10 with hair straightener burns, 9% of the 187 children who had “thermal injuries” that year. Apparently some retailers are refusing to sell […]
What the Global Burden of Disease Study (GBD) 2010 says about causes of injury deaths.
Over the years, the Global Burden of Disease Study (GBDS) has provided an excellent resource to support advocacy for injury prevention research. The Lancet has recently published (Dec 14, 2012) findings from the latest GBDS funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The GBDS 2010 focused on comparing estimated mortality and morbidity trends between […]
Groceries-for-guns: Too unrefined to be an effective solution
The Newtown gun violence tragedy has influenced opinions inside and outside United States (US). Los Angeles (LA) County, which has an annual buyback plan to exchange grocery cards for US$100 to US$200 for guns in May each year, decided to hold this event again on December 27, 2012. According to officials, the program duration had […]
All-terrain vehicles remain in the spotlight
A timely paper by Denning, Harland, Ellis and Jennissen appeared in our ‘Online First’ register right before Christmas, and given the hectic nature of the festive season, I wanted to encourage our readers to make themselves familiar with the findings. All-terrain vehicles remain a controversial transportation mode in countries including the United States, Canada, and […]
More on opposition to gun violence research
As well as the blog I posted yesterday, I intended to mention an excellent piece that appeared in salon.com. One quote in particular caught my attention and previews the tone of the article: David Satcher, the then-director of the CDC, wrote an Op-Ed in the Washington Post in November of 1995 warning that the NRA’s […]