Ridehailing and alcohol-involved traffic fatalities in the United States: The average and heterogeneous association of uber.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Brazil N
PROVIDER: S-EPMC7485824 | biostudies-literature | 2020
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Publications
Ridehailing and alcohol-involved traffic fatalities in the United States: The average and heterogeneous association of uber.
PloS one 20200911 9
Ridehailing services such as Uber have been promoted as viable interventions for curbing alcohol-involved driving fatalities. However, evidence of ridehailing's impact has been mixed, with some studies finding no association but others finding either an increase or a decrease in fatalities. We contribute to this literature by examining more recent years of data, which capture a period during which Uber ridership has grown substantially and alcohol-involved fatalities have increased. Furthermore, ...[more]
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Project description:BackgroundAs of January 2020, 18 of 50 US states comprehensively banned almost all handheld cellphone use while driving, 3 states and the District of Columbia banned calling and texting, 27 states banned texting on a handheld cellphone, and 2 states had no general cellphone ban for all drivers. However, it remains unknown whether these bans were associated with fewer traffic deaths and whether comprehensive handheld bans are more effective than isolated calling or texting bans. We evaluated whether cellphone bans were associated with fewer driver, non-driver, and total fatalities nationally.MethodsWe conducted a longitudinal panel analysis of traffic fatality rates by state, year, and quarter. Population-based rate ratios and 95% CIs were estimated comparing state-quarters with and without cellphone bans.ResultsFrom 1999 through 2016, 616,289 persons including 344,003 drivers died in passenger vehicle crashes in the United States. Relative to no ban, comprehensive handheld bans were associated with lower driver fatality rates (adjusted rate ratio aRR = 0.93, 95% CI = 0.90, 0.97) but not for non-driver fatalities (aRR = 1.01, 95% CI = 0.95, 1.07) or total fatalities (aRR = 0.98, 95% CI = 0.94, 1.01). We found no differences in driver fatalities for calling-only bans (aRR = 1.00, 95% CI = 0.97, 1.03), texting-only bans (aRR = 1.02, 95% CI = 0.99, 1.05), texting plus phone-manipulating bans (aRR = 0.99, 95% CI = 0.93, 1.04), or calling and texting bans (aRR = 0.98, 95% CI = 0.88, 1.09).ConclusionsComprehensive handheld bans were associated with fewer driver fatalities.
| S-EPMC8318565 | biostudies-literature
Project description:ImportanceFirearms are the method of suicide used most often in the US. Acute alcohol use is associated with an increased risk of suicide by firearm. However, the dose-response association between acute alcohol use and the probability of using a firearm as the method of suicide is unknown.ObjectiveTo evaluate the association between the amount of alcohol consumed and the probability of using a firearm as the method of suicide.Design, setting, and participantsThis cross-sectional study used mortality data from the US National Violent Death Reporting System on suicide decedents aged 18 years or older with a positive blood alcohol concentration (BAC; ie, ≥0.01 g/dL). Statistical analysis was performed from January 2003 to December 2020.ExposureAcute alcohol use, ascertained via postmortem toxicologic examination.Main outcomes and measuresProbability of using a firearm as the method of suicide compared with all other methods of suicide.ResultsThe study included 45 959 male suicide decedents (mean [SD] age, 42.6 [14.8] years) and 12 136 female suicide decedents (mean [SD] age, 44.2 [13.8] years) with a positive BAC; of those, 24 720 male decedents (53.8%) and 3599 female decedents (29.7%) used a firearm as the method of suicide. The probability of using a firearm as the method of suicide when alcohol is consumed was higher for male decedents, with the probability starting at just below 0.50 and increasing to approximately 0.75. In contrast, for female decedents, the probability began at just above 0.30 and increased to approximately 0.55. For both male and female decedents, the dose-response curves were an inverted U shape; as BAC increased, the probability of firearm-involved suicide initially increased and then decreased at very high BACs (approximately 0.40 g/dL for male decedents and approximately 0.30 g/dL for female decedents; these BACs were present among only a small percentage of alcohol-involved suicides: male decedents, 589 [1.3%]; female decedents, 754 [6.2%]).Conclusions and relevanceThis cross-sectional study of suicide decedents who had consumed alcohol prior to their death suggests that, as alcohol consumption increased, the probability of a firearm-involved suicide increased until a certain BAC, at which point the probability started to decrease.
| S-EPMC10061235 | biostudies-literature
Project description:The purpose of this study was to examine the associations between the alcohol policy environment and alcohol involvement in homicide victims in the United States, overall and by sociodemographic groups.To characterize the alcohol policy environment, the presence, efficacy, and degree of implementation of 29 alcohol policies were used to determine Alcohol Policy Scale (APS) scores by state and year. Data about homicide victims from 17 states from 2003 to 2012 were obtained from the National Violent Death Reporting System. APS scores were used as lagged exposure variables in generalized estimating equation logistic regression models to predict the individual-level odds of alcohol involvement (i.e., blood alcohol concentration [BAC] > 0.00% vs. = 0.00% and BAC ? 0.08% vs. ? 0.079%) among homicide victims.A 10 percentage point increase in APS score (representing a more restrictive policy environment) was associated with reduced odds of alcohol-involved homicide with BAC greater than 0.00% (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 0.89, 95% CI [0.82, 0.99]) and BAC of 0.08% or more (AOR = 0.91, 95% CI [0.82, 1.02]). In stratified analyses of homicide victims, more restrictive policy environments were significantly protective of alcohol involvement at both BAC levels among those who were female, ages 21-29 years, Hispanic, unmarried, victims of firearm homicides, and victims of homicides related to intimate partner violence.More restrictive alcohol policy environments were associated with reduced odds of alcohol-involved homicide victimization overall and among groups at high risk of homicide. Strengthening alcohol policies is a promising homicide prevention strategy.
| S-EPMC5675429 | biostudies-other
Project description:ImportanceMethylene chloride is a halogenated organic solvent widely used in paint strippers, cleaners, adhesives, and sealants. Despite label warnings and occupational standards, methylene chloride-related fatalities continue to occur in the United States.ObjectiveTo identify and analyze methylene chloride-related fatalities in the US.Design, setting, and participantsFor this case series, we conducted systematic searches of sources, including PubMed and government databases, for unintentional fatalities in the US that were associated with exposure to methylene chloride or products containing methylene chloride between 1980 and 2018. We reviewed all available information, including inspection reports, autopsy reports, and medical records; data analyses were conducted from August 2018 to August 2020. Cases were categorized as those occurring in the home (consumer deaths) or at work (occupational deaths).ExposuresMethylene chloride or products containing methylene chloride.Main outcomes and measuresTo determine characteristics of the methylene chloride-related fatalities, we recorded demographic information; the setting; circumstances, including information on safety measures used, if available; and products used. Where medical records were available, we recorded toxicology results and autopsy findings. We also obtained data about nonfatal methylene chloride cases from the American Association of Poison Control Centers.ResultsFrom 1980 to 2018, 85 methylene chloride-related fatalities were identified in the US, including 74 (87%) in occupational settings; of those who died, 75 (94%) were men, and for the 70 cases with available information, the median (interquartile range) age of the decedents was 31 (24-46) years. Paint strippers were the most common products involved in methylene chloride-related fatalities (n = 60). The proportion of occupational fatalities related to paint stripping increased from 22 (55%) before 2000 to 30 (88%) after 2000. Similarly, occupational fatalities associated with bathtub or paint stripping in bathrooms increased from 2 (5%) before 2000 to 21 (62%) after 2000. From 1985 to 2017, the American Association of Poison Control Centers documented 37 201 nonfatal methylene chloride cases, with a decrease in the annual number of cases starting in the late 1990s.Conclusions and relevanceResults of this case series demonstrated that despite regulations to address the toxic effects of methylene chloride use for consumers and workers, there are continuing fatalities in the US, particularly in occupational settings. Prevention of fatalities associated with methylene chloride exposure should emphasize the use of safer substitutes, rather than hazard warnings or reliance on personal protective equipment.
| S-EPMC8056315 | biostudies-literature
Project description:ImportanceFirearm fatality rates in the United States have reached a 28-year high. Describing the evolution of firearm fatality rates across intents, demographics, and geography over time may highlight high-risk groups and inform interventions for firearm injury prevention.ObjectiveTo understand variations in rates of firearm fatalities stratified by intent, demographics, and geography in the US.Design, setting, and participantsThis cross-sectional study analyzed firearm fatalities in the US from 1990 to 2021 using data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Heat maps, maximum and mean fatality rate graphs, and choropleth maps of county-level rates were created to examine trends in firearm fatality rates by intent over time by age, sex, race, ethnicity, and urbanicity of individuals who died from firearms. Data were analyzed from December 2018 through September 2022.Main outcomes and measuresRates of firearm fatalities by age, sex, race, ethnicity, urbanicity, and county of individuals killed stratified by specific intent (suicide or homicide) per 100 000 persons per year.ResultsThere were a total of 1 110 421 firearm fatalities from 1990 to 2021 (952 984 among males [85.8%] and 157 165 among females [14.2%]; 286 075 among Black non-Hispanic individuals [25.8%], 115 616 among Hispanic individuals [10.4%], and 672 132 among White non-Hispanic individuals [60.5%]). All-intents total firearm fatality rates per 100 000 persons declined to a low of 10.1 fatalities in 2004, then increased to 14.7 fatalities (45.5% increase) by 2021. From 2014 to 2021, male and female firearm homicide rates per 100 000 persons per year increased from 5.9 to 10.9 fatalities (84.7% increase) and 1.1 to 2.0 fatalities (87.0% increase), respectively. Firearm suicide rates were highest among White non-Hispanic men aged 80 to 84 years (up to 46.8 fatalities/100 000 persons in 2021). By 2021, maximum rates of firearm homicide were up to 22.5 times higher among Black non-Hispanic men (up to 141.8 fatalities/100 000 persons aged 20-24 years) and up to 3.6 times higher among Hispanic men (up to 22.8 fatalities/100 000 persons aged 20-24 years) compared with White non-Hispanic men (up to 6.3 fatalities/100 000 persons aged 30-34 years). Males had higher rates of suicide (14.1 fatalities vs 2.0 fatalities per 100 000 persons in 2021) and homicide (10.9 fatalities vs. 2.0 fatalities per 100 000 persons in 2021) compared with females. Metropolitan areas had higher homicide rates than nonmetropolitan areas (6.6 fatalities vs 4.8 fatalities per 100 000 persons in 2021). Firearm fatalities by county level increased over time, spreading from the West to the South. From 1999 to 2011 until 2014 to 2016, fatalities per 100 000 persons per year decreased from 10.6 to 10.5 fatalities in Western states and increased from 12.8 to 13.9 fatalities in Southern states.Conclusions and relevanceThis study found marked disparities in firearm fatality rates by demographic group, which increased over the past decade. These findings suggest that public health approaches to reduce firearm violence should consider underlying demographic and geographic trends and differences by intent.
| S-EPMC9709653 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundThis study provides a national profile of occupational fatalities among truck drivers and driver-sales workers.MethodsData from the 2003-2008 Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries were used. Cases were extracted specifically for occupational subcategories included in the Driver/Sales Workers and Truck Drivers occupational category: Driver/Sales Workers, Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers, and Light Truck or Delivery Services Drivers.ResultsIn 2003-2008, the group Driver/Sales Workers and Truck Drivers had 5,568 occupational fatalities, representing 17% of all occupational fatalities in the United States. The majority of these fatalities were in the subgroup Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers (85%) and due to transportation incidents (80%). Older and male drivers had higher fatality rates than their counterparts.ConclusionsFindings suggest a need for targeted interventions to reduce highway fatalities among heavy truck drivers. Better employment data are needed to separate the three occupational subcategories by worker characteristic and employment history for use in research and prevention efforts.
| S-EPMC4565185 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Colorectal cancer screening rates are important metrics for public health and quality indicators for health care systems; however, published estimates of colorectal cancer screening rates often include both high-risk and average-risk patients, and the use of different epidemiologic methods makes between-study comparisons tenuous. The objective of this study was to measure the proportion of average-risk American adults who are up to date with colorectal cancer screening guidelines and examine the impact of evaluation methods on screening rate estimates. This repeated cross-sectional study used administrative claims to identify individuals aged 50-75 years between 2015 and 2018 with ≥ 1-year of continuous health plan enrollment. Sensitivity analyses to replicate prior studies in the literature included: 1) retrospective cohort study requiring ≥ 10 years of continuous enrollment to identify the most current screening rates (2018), and 2) inclusion of individuals with higher colorectal cancer risk. A total of 2,579,898; 2,948,064; 3,312,882; and 2,752,864 individuals were included in the 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018 populations, respectively. In the cross-sectional sample, the proportion of individuals with up-to-date colorectal cancer screening was 51.8%, 51.3%, 51.0%, and 51.1% in 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018, respectively. The inclusion of high-risk individuals increased estimates approximately 37%. Using a retrospective cohort design, 67.5% of average-risk individuals were up to date in 2018. This study demonstrated the impact of methodological differences on rate estimates. Efforts to track screening rates require transparency in measurement methods to accurately evaluate progress in improving rates.
| S-EPMC9720331 | biostudies-literature
Project description:ImportanceAn important consequence of cannabis legalization is the potential increase in the number of cannabis-impaired drivers on roads, which may result in higher rates of traffic-related injuries and fatalities. To date, limited information about the effects of recreational cannabis laws (RCLs) on traffic fatalities is available.ObjectiveTo estimate the extent to which the implementation of RCLs is associated with traffic fatalities in Colorado and Washington State.Design, setting, and participantsThis ecological study used a synthetic control approach to examine the association between RCLs and changes in traffic fatalities in Colorado and Washington State in the post-RCL period (2014-2017). Traffic fatalities data were obtained from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System from January 1, 2005, to December 31, 2017. Data from Colorado and Washington State were compared with synthetic controls. Data were analyzed from January 1, 2005, to December 31, 2017.Main outcome(s) and measuresThe primary outcome was the rate of traffic fatalities. Sensitivity analyses were performed (1) excluding neighboring states, (2) excluding states without medical cannabis laws (MCLs), and (3) using the enactment date of RCLs to define pre-RCL and post-RCL periods instead of the effective date.ResultsImplementation of RCLs was associated with increases in traffic fatalities in Colorado but not in Washington State. The difference between Colorado and its synthetic control in the post-RCL period was 1.46 deaths per 1 billion vehicle miles traveled (VMT) per year (an estimated equivalent of 75 excess fatalities per year; probability = 0.047). The difference between Washington State and its synthetic control was 0.08 deaths per 1 billion VMT per year (probability = 0.674). Results were robust in most sensitivity analyses. The difference between Colorado and synthetic Colorado was 1.84 fatalities per 1 billion VMT per year (94 excess deaths per year; probability = 0.055) after excluding neighboring states and 2.16 fatalities per 1 billion VMT per year (111 excess deaths per year; probability = 0.063) after excluding states without MCLs. The effect was smaller when using the enactment date (24 excess deaths per year; probability = 0.116).Conclusions and relevanceThis study found evidence of an increase in traffic fatalities after the implementation of RCLs in Colorado but not in Washington State. Differences in how RCLs were implemented (eg, density of recreational cannabis stores), out-of-state cannabis tourism, and local factors may explain the different results. These findings highlight the importance of RCLs as a factor that may increase traffic fatalities and call for the identification of policies and enforcement strategies that can help prevent unintended consequences of cannabis legalization.
| S-EPMC7309574 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Car parking is of central importance to congestion on roads and the urban planning process of optimizing road networks, pricing parking lots and planning land use. The efficient placement, sizing and grid connection of charging stations for electric cars makes it even more important to know the spatio-temporal distribution of car parking densities on the scale of entire cities. Here, we generate car parking density maps using travel time measurements only. We formulate a Hidden Markov Model that contains non-linear functional relationships between the changing average travel times among the zones of a city and both the traffic activity and flow direction probabilities of cars. We then sample the traffic flow for 1,000 cars per city zone for each city from these probability distributions and normalize the resulting spatial parking distribution of cars in each time step. Our results cover the years 2015-2018 for 34 cities worldwide. We validate the model for Melbourne and reach about 90% accuracy for parking densities and over 93% for circadian rhythms of traffic activity.
| S-EPMC6704179 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundRoad traffic fatalities (RTF) is the 8th cause of mortality around the world. At the end of the Decade of Action, it would be of utmost importance to revisit our knowledge on the determinants of RTF. The aim of this study is to assess factors related to RTF at global level.MethodsWe used road safety development index which accounts for the interactions between system, human and products to assess the RTF in 115 and 113 countries in 2013 and 2016, respectively. To analyze data, three statistical procedures (linear regression, classification and regression trees, and multivariate adaptive regression splines) were employed.ResultsClassification and regression trees has the best performance amongst all others followed by multivariate adaptive regression splines for 2013 and 2016 data set with an R2 around 0.83. Results show that any increase in human development index was associated with RTF reduction. Comparing RTF data of 2013 and 2016, 8 countries experienced a change of more than 30%, which demonstrated a significant relationship with GINI index (named after Corrado Gini). Considering the three components of human development index, it is revealed that education explained most of RTF variation in classification and regression trees model followed by income and life expectancy.ConclusionPolicymakers should consider road collisions as a socio-economic issue. In this regard, they can make provisions to reduce RTF in the long run by focusing on enhancing the three components of human development index, mainly education. However, there is a need to investigate the causation pathway among these three components with RTF with different time-trend procedures.
| S-EPMC7646406 | biostudies-literature