There has been global concern regarding road traffic injuries. Motorcyclists constitute a high proportion of fatalities in road traffic crashes. Commercial motorcyclists (Okadas) constitute a unique group in this regard. The purpose of this study was to evaluate driver-related risk factors in Okada accidents in Benin City, Nigeria.

This was a prospective study. Interviewers administered questionnaires that were used to assess Okada drivers during a two-month period (November–December 2006).

A total of 996 Okada drivers were interviewed, 995 males and one female. Their ages ranged from 16–80 years with a mean age of 36.4 ±2.4 years. In the majority of cases, the maximum educational level achieved was primary or secondary. The majority of Okada drivers (82.8%) took to the Okada business as a last resort. Driver's licenses for Okada operation were possessed by 73.5% of drivers, but only 27.2% had taken a road test before being given a license. No form of training on the use of Okadas was received by 45% of drivers before they commenced operations. Crash helmets were owned by 56.4%, but they did not use them on a regular basis. Inconvenience was the reason provided for poor compliance by 52.7% of drivers. Regular intake of alcohol was present in 39.8% of drivers.

Okada drivers are mainly young males with a low level of education who are ill-prepared and ill-equipped for the road. This is a recipe for traffic crash-related injuries and fatal motorcycle crashes. There is an urgent need for job creation, better licensing procedures, road safety education, national legislation, and enforcement of crash helmet laws as well as alcohol breath tests for Okada drivers in Nigeria.

The development of syndromic surveillance systems to detect bioterrorist attacks and emerging infectious diseases has become an important and challenging goal to many governmental agencies and healthcare authorities. This study utilized the sharp increase of glow product-related calls to demonstrate the utility of poison ontrol data for early detection of potential outbreaks during the week of Halloween in 2007.

A review was conducted of the electronic records of exposures reported to the New Jersey Poison Information and Education System NJPIES) Poison Control Hotline from 2002 through 2007 with generic code number 0201027 (glow products) set by the American Association of Poison Control Centers (AAPCC). Key information such as age, gender, time of the call, exposure reason, clinical effects, and medical outcomes along with telephone number, zip code, and county location were used in the analyses to determine the extent of the outbreak.

Analyses included a total of 139 glow product-related calls during the week of Halloween in 2007 with a single-day high of 59 calls on Halloween Day. More than 90% of the glow product exposures were in children 1–10 years of age. The glow product-related calls on Halloween Day increased from 14 calls in 2002 to 59 calls in 2007, a 321% increase during a six-year period.

Poison control centers in the United States are equipped with a unique and uniform input data collection system—the National Poison Data System—that provides an important data source in the development of a comprehensive surveillance system for early outbreak detection.

During a medical emergency, the American public often relies on the expertise of emergency medical technicians (EMTs). These professionals face a number of occupational hazards, and the literature suggests that EMTs are at a greater risk of developing physical and mental stress-related disorders. The purpose of this paper is to systematically examine gaps in the extant literature and to present a theoretically driven conceptual model to serve as a basis for future intervention and research efforts.

A systematic review of the literature was conducted utilizing rele-vant databases (e.g., PsychInfo, Medline). All empirical articles regarding emergency medical responders were reviewed, but given the limited research available, relevant theoretical and conceptual literature on the constructs of interest in other, related populations also were included. Based on this extensive review, a modification of the stress process model is suggested to explain the relationships among occupational stress exposure, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and high-risk alcohol and other drug use.

Exposure to traumatic events was reported to be between 80% and 100% among EMTs, and rates of PTSD are >20%. High-risk alcohol and drug use rates among other emergency response professionals were reported to be as high as 40%. The proposed model suggests direct linkages between occupationally related stress exposure, including chronic and critical incident stress, PTSD, and high-risk alcohol and other drug use. Social support and personal resources (e.g., coping, locus of control) are proposed to have mediating and moderating influences on the three main constructs, and cohesion is introduced as an important, idiosyncratic influence in this population. The moderating influences of gender, age, ethnicity, marital status, and socioeconomic status, level of training, and years of service are included in the proposed model.

High-risk alcohol and other drug use and post-traumatic symptomatology pose substantial risks for EMTs, and consequently, for the patients they serve. It is imperative that researchers develop and test a theoretically grounded model of risk and protective factors that will guide intervention development and future study. The model suggested in this paper, based on a comprehensive literature review and development of theory, represents a critical first step in the intervention research process.

Emergency medical services (EMS) personnel play an integral role during the national response to a pandemic event. To help ensure their health and safety, especially during the early stages of an outbreak, knowledge and adherence with personal protective equipment (PPE) and infection control strategies will be essential.

The objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a multi-method, pandemic preparedness training intervention using a pre-/post-test design.

A convenience sample of 129 EMS personnel participated in a training program on pandemic preparedness. Training consisted of an educational intervention with a focus on the routes of transmission of the influenza virus, proper use of respiratory PPE, agency policies regarding infection control practices, and seasonal influenza vaccination. This was followed by a skill-based drill on respirator fit-checking and proper respirator donning and doffing procedures.

Pre-/post-test results indicate a significant increase in knowledge and behavioral intentions with respect to respirator use, vaccination with seasonal influenza vaccine, and willingness to report to duty during a pandemic.

This method was effective in increasing knowledge and compliance intentions in EMS healthcare personnel. Further research should focus on whether training results in behavior modification.