ABSTRACT
Head impact measurement devices enable opportunities to collect impact data directly from humans to study topics like concussion biomechanics, head impact exposure and its effects, and concussion risk reduction techniques in sports when paired with other relevant data. With recent advances in head impact measurement devices and cost-effective price points, more and more investigators are using them to study brain health questions. However, as the field's literature grows, the variance in study quality is apparent. This brief paper aims to provide a high-level set of key considerations for the design and analysis of head impact measurement studies that can help avoid flaws introduced by sampling biases, false data, missing data, and confounding factors. We discuss key points through four overarching themes: study design, operational management, data quality, and data analysis.
Subject(s)
Brain Concussion , Football , Humans , Head Protective Devices , Consensus , Acceleration , Brain Concussion/diagnosis , Head , Biomechanical PhenomenaABSTRACT
The objective of this study was to quantify the importance of societal aging relative to other factors that are known to affect injury risk. An aging population's effect on Maximum Abbreviated Injury Scale (MAIS) 3+ injury trends for passenger car drivers in frontal crashes was projected and compared to the effects of projected changes in fleet composition, changes in seat belt usage, and changes in air bag availability. It was determined that increased frailty due to an aging population will result in 19,816 to 43,568 additional injuries to passenger car drivers in frontal crashes from 1996 to 2012. Aging was shown to have an effect similar to the increased presence of light trucks in the fleet (a cumulative increase of approximately 47,428 injuries). Aging and changing fleet composition were shown to have a smaller effect than the projected increases in seat belt use or air bag availability, though the effect of increased belt use is not much greater than the effect of aging. After 2012, however, air bag availability and seat belt use will plateau, while societal aging will continue.
Subject(s)
Accidents, Traffic/trends , Air Bags/statistics & numerical data , Motor Vehicles/statistics & numerical data , Seat Belts/statistics & numerical data , Wounds and Injuries/epidemiology , Adolescent , Adult , Age Distribution , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Automobile Driving/statistics & numerical data , Female , Forecasting , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Population Dynamics , Probability , Risk Factors , United States/epidemiologyABSTRACT
An aging population's effect on MAIS 3+ injury trends for passenger-car drivers in frontal crashes is projected and compared to the effects of projected changes in fleet composition, changes in belt usage, and changes in airbag availability. It is determined that increased frailty due to an aging population will result in 19816 to 43568 additional injuries from 1996 to 2012. Aging is shown to have an effect similar to the increased presence of light trucks in the fleet (a cumulative increase of approximately 47428 injuries). Aging and changing fleet composition are shown to have a smaller effect than the projected increases in seatbelt use or airbag availability. After 2012, however, airbag availability and seatbelt use will plateau, while societal aging will continue.
