Severe Injuries from Low-height Falls in the Elderly Population

BACKGROUND: Falls from low-height can cause severe injuries in the elderly population. This study was conducted to determine characteristics of injuries from low-height falls. METHODS: We retrospectively review surveillance data on injured patients who presented to six emergency departments from January 2011 to December 2015. Study subjects were divided into severe group and non-severe group based on severity of injury. The general and clinical characteristics were compared between the two groups and analyzed factors related with severe injuries. RESULTS: Of 1,190 elderly patients, severe group comprised 82 patients (7%). The severe group was 2 years younger than the non-severe group. In the severe group, 61% was men and 34% in the non-severe group. In the non-severe, the injuries more commonly occurred at residential facilities and indoors than those in the severe group. Paid work during injury occurrence was 15%, and the more patients presented with non-alert consciousness in the severe group. The most common regions of major injury were head and neck in the severe group. CONCLUSION: Paid work, non-alert consciousness, and major injury to head and neck are relating factors to severe injuries in the elderly population.

Analysis of Factors Related to Health Behavior of the ROKAF Pilots

BACKGROUND: ROKAF (Republic of Korea Air Force) Pilots are required to maintain optimal health status because of their job characteristics and importance as core forces. Their optimal health status can be achived by prac-ticing good health behavior. Therefore, this study tries to analyze the pilots' health behaviors for last 1 month and latest 12 hours before flight respectively, and to examine factors related to health behavior. The goal is to provide data for the development of more efficient nursing interventions. METHODS: In this study, 200 Air Force pilots was interviewed from Oct. 1 to Oct. 15, 2001. by the use of a structured questionnaire. Collected data was analyzed using SPSS Windows Version 10.0 for descriptive statistics, x2-test, Spearman's rho correlation. RESULTS: ROKAF Pilot's have good drinking and smoking habits and their alcohol drinking, smoking, dietary habits, sleeping hours is related to their Self-efficacy, perceived barrier, family support. Also, their before flight health behavior was not different largely their casual health behavior. CONCLUSION: In order to promote ROKAF Pilot's health status, programs should be designed according to age, aircraft types and marriage conditions, and strategies that enable to increase health behavior self-efficacy and to decrease perceived barrier should be employed.