Accidental Injuries

The prevalence of ADHD among prison populations is believed to be around ten times that of the general population. Amphetimine-based drugs used to treat ADHD may cut fatality risk, suggests study published in JAMA, one of the world's most widely read medical journals Medicines used to treat children and adults with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) reduce the higher-than-average risk for premature death, suggests a study in the world’s most widely distributed medical journal. Researchers in Sweden tracked 148,578 children and adults with ADHD. Within three months of being diagnosed, about 57% had started on medications. Within two years, 632 patients had died, the researchers reported. Overall, among every 10,000 individuals, mortality rates were 39.1% in the medication group compared with 48.1% in those not receiving treatment. The findings were reported in JAMA , the world’s most widely circulated  international peer-reviewed general medical journal. More than half of the deaths were due to unnatural causes, such as accidental injuries, accidental poisoning, and suicide. After accounting for other risk factors, use of medication was associated with 21% lower odds of death from any cause, and 25% lower odds of death from unnatural causes, for males in particular, the researchers found. The short-term study was not a randomised trial, so it is unclear whether the use of medication explains the results and, if it does, whether the effect is seen over time. Also unclear, according to an editorial published with the study, is whether ADHD treatment reduces the risk of premature death directly by reducing impulsive behaviours, or indirectly by alleviating core symptoms of the disease. “Future research should investigate the potential relationship between ADHD symptom severity and mortality outcomes for those receiving medication treatment,” the editorial said. ADHD pharmas include Teva, Janssen & Noven ADHD affects 5.9% of young people and 2.5% of adults worldwide, according to the 2021 World Federation of ADHD International. The prevalence of ADHD among prison populations is believed to be around ten times that of the general population. An estimated 25% of adults in prison have ADHD, compared to 2.5% of adults in the general population ( Young & Cocallis, 2021 ). ADHD medicines are amphetamine-based. Amphetamine is a central nervous system stimulant, and is also used in the treatment of narcolepsy and obesity. It was discovered as a chemical in 1887 by Lazăr Edeleanu, and used as a drug in the late 1920s. The first amphetamine pharmaceutical was Benzedrine. Modern amphetamine-based medicines include Adderall ( Teva Pharmaceutical ), Concerta ( Janssen ), Daytrana ( Noven ), Dexedrine ( Cardinal Health ) and Dyanavel XR ( Tris Pharma ). Amphetamine is a tightly controlled pharmaceutical, due to the health risks associated with recreational use. About JAMA JAMA , first published in 1883. It is a member of the JAMA Network, a consortium of peer-reviewed, general medical and specialty publications. The online version is freely available to institutions in developing countries through the World Health Organization's HINARI program.

MINNEAPOLIS, March 7, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- People who have headaches after experiencing concussions may also be more likely to have higher levels of iron in areas of the brain, which is a sign of injury to brain cells, according to a preliminary study released March 5, 2024, that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 76th Annual Meeting taking place April 13–18, 2024, in person in Denver and online. "These results suggest that iron accumulation in the brain can be used as a biomarker for concussion and post-traumatic headache, which could potentially help us understand the underlying processes that occur with these conditions," said study author Simona Nikolova, PhD, of the Mayo Clinic in Phoenix, Arizona, and a member of the American Academy of Neurology. The study involved 60 people who had post-traumatic headache due to mild traumatic brain injury, or concussion. The injuries were due to a fall for 45% of the people, 30% were due to a motor vehicle accident and 12% were due to a fight. Other causes were the head hitting against or by an object and sports injuries. A total of 46% of the people had one mild traumatic brain injury in their lifetime, 17% had two, 16% had three, 5% had four and 16% had five or more mild traumatic brain injuries. The people with mild traumatic brain injuries were matched with 60 people who had not had concussions or post-traumatic headache. All the participants had brain scans to look at iron levels in various areas of the brain, using an indirect measure for iron burden. For those with mild traumatic brain injuries, the scans were taken an average of 25 days after the injury. The study found that compared to the people without concussion, those with a history of concussion and headaches had higher levels of iron accumulation in several areas of the brain, including the left occipital area, right cerebellum and right temporal lobe. Researchers also found that the more concussions people had over their lifetime and the more frequent their headaches were, the more likely they were to have higher levels of iron accumulation in certain areas of the brain. They also found that the more time that had passed since the concussion occurred, the more likely people were to have higher levels of iron accumulation in areas of the brain. "Previous studies have shown that iron accumulation can affect how areas of the brain interact with each other," Nikolova said. "This research may help us better understand how the brain responds and recovers from concussion." Nikolova said that since the study used an indirect measure of iron burden, it's possible that the change in that measure could be due to other factors such as hemorrhage or changes in tissue water rather than iron accumulation. The study was supported by the U.S. Department of Defense and the National Institutes of Health. Learn more about concussion at BrainandLife.org, home of the American Academy of Neurology's free patient and caregiver magazine focused on the intersection of neurologic disease and brain health. Follow Brain & Life® on Facebook, X and Instagram. When posting to social media channels about this research, we encourage you to use the American Academy of Neurology's Annual Meeting hashtag #AANAM. The American Academy of Neurology is the world's largest association of neurologists and neuroscience professionals, with over 40,000 members. The AAN is dedicated to promoting the highest quality patient-centered neurologic care. A neurologist is a doctor with specialized training in diagnosing, treating and managing disorders of the brain and nervous system such as Alzheimer's disease, stroke, migraine, multiple sclerosis, concussion, Parkinson's disease and epilepsy. For more information about the American Academy of Neurology, visit AAN.com or find us on Facebook, X, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube. SOURCE American Academy of Neurology

Health care CEOs pledge $10 million toward nationwide public awareness and education campaign aimed at reducing firearm deaths, injuries and impact of gun violence on youth in America NEW YORK, Feb. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Today at Northwell Health's 5th annual Gun Violence Prevention Forum, the Ad Council announced a new gun violence prevention initiative in collaboration with a coalition of health care leaders to address this urgent public health crisis and its impact on youth. The Ad Council, America's leading nonprofit driving nonpartisan social change through fully integrated communications initiatives, will lead the development of this new campaign, funded by members of the National Health Care CEO Council on Gun Violence Prevention and Safety. This group of chief executives represents some of the nation's largest health systems and hospitals that are providing funding, strategic insight and issue expertise on gun violence prevention for the campaign. This initial donation of $10 million is the seed of a greater $40 million fundraising goal over the next two years to support the effort's large-scale plans to reduce firearm deaths and injuries in the United States. A recent analysis of CDC data by KFF shows that firearm injuries have been the leading cause of death among children and teens (ages 1-19) for three consecutive years. Additionally, in August 2023, Northwell Health researchers published a study in the American Academy of Pediatrics' flagship journal that reported 4,752 pediatric firearm deaths in 2021, a number that reflects a 41.6 percent increase from 2018 to 2021. And according to a new poll from the Ad Council Research Institute (ACRI), a majority (79%) of adults in America find gun violence to be one of their top concerns. However, only 26% selected gun injuries as the leading cause of death among children, demonstrating a need for further education. Given this disheartening data, a major focus of the campaign's messaging will be on promoting prevention strategies to curtail gun violence and its impact on youth. In collaboration with the National Health Care CEO Council on Gun Violence Prevention and Safety, the Ad Council is convening a broad coalition across the advertising, health care, marketing, media and tech industries to develop this new initiative with pro-bono support from creative agency GUT Miami. The campaign seeks to elevate the issue of gun violence in America and its impact on youth, shifting away from divisive, politically charged conversations to those focused on public health approaches that have proven effective in combating this epidemic. With data-driven strategies and expert insights, the campaign will provide people throughout the country with a deeper understanding of the individual actions both gun owners and non-gun owners can take in their homes and communities to protect our nation's youth and save lives. "Gun injuries are the number one killer of youth in America, a fact that demands action. But it's an issue that cannot be confronted by just one organization alone," said Lisa Sherman, president and CEO of the Ad Council. "American hospitals deal with the ramifications of gun violence every day and we're proud to partner with our nation's leading hospitals and health systems, public health experts and some of the best minds in the media and advertising communities to educate individuals on actions that can be taken to reduce the risk of gun violence and make our children, communities and nation safer. Together, we can address this issue head on and reposition it as what this truly is: a public health crisis that impacts us all." Though tackling the crisis of gun violence may feel like a daunting task—and most Americans believe that gun violence will increase over the next five years—there is common ground and broad agreement on several paths forward. And according to the Johns Hopkins 2023 National Gun Policy Survey, a majority of Americans, regardless of political affiliation or gun-owning status, felt similarly about the potential for these solutions, showing that there are steps we can all take to reduce gun violence in our nation. "While gun deaths and injuries are still disturbingly high, especially among young people, we are beginning to see progress in making our communities safer, thanks to continued collaboration and partnership like the campaign we are announcing today," said Michael Dowling, Northwell Health president and CEO, whose outreach efforts led to the creation of the National Health Care CEO Council on Gun Violence Prevention and Safety, and who in 2021 established a Gun Violence Prevention Learning Collaborative for Health Systems and Hospitals that now includes more than 600 health care professionals from 38 states focused on the implementation of evidence-based, firearm injury prevention strategies. "I applaud my fellow CEOs who are supporting the Ad Council campaign and implore other health care leaders across the country to take a leadership role in reshaping the public narrative on gun violence." "Intermountain Health is pleased to be a part of this important initiative," said Rob Allen, president and CEO of Intermountain Health, which operates a health system in seven western states. "Gun safety is an important part of our community health focus. By focusing on the use of gun trigger locks, safe and secure storage of firearms, and making mental health and suicide prevention resources widely available, our communities are seeing a positive difference." "Gun violence is a public health crisis for children and their families," said Matt Cook, CEO of Children's Hospital Association, the national voice for more than 200 children's hospitals in the United States. "Children's hospitals are on the frontlines of pediatric emergency care, treating children and teens as they heal from the acute physical and enduring emotional wounds of gun violence, and supporting their families as they recover. It is our duty as an association of children's hospitals to bring awareness to the youth gun violence crisis and we are proud to join with other hospital leaders in a campaign to make children safer." Health systems and hospitals throughout the country have seen firsthand the toll gun violence takes on communities. They collectively treat tens of thousands of gun injuries annually and health care workers and first responders serve on the frontlines, treating patients and their families. The unique point of view health care providers have in treating victims of gun violence and working to prevent gun violence in their communities will be instrumental in shaping the campaign's strategy, bringing urgency and credibility to this issue in a powerful way. Lead funding for the new national project spearheaded by the Ad Council has been provided by BJC Health System, Froedtert ThedaCare Health, Inc., Intermountain Health, Johns Hopkins Medicine, MedStar Health and Northwell Health. Significant funding has also been provided by Children's Hospital Association, Endeavor Health and Yale New Haven Health. The new initiative builds on the success of existing efforts, activations and campaigns from these health systems and hospitals and brings together a unified force across industries to more holistically address this crisis. All funds raised for this new $40 million initiative go toward the research, development and creation of campaign assets—per the Ad Council model, campaign materials are run in time and space donated by the media. To further ensure all campaign communications are evidenced-based, the Ad Council has convened an Issue Advisory Council comprised of subject-matter experts in gun violence prevention. These advisors represent a wide range of expertise, including public health, epidemiology, suicide prevention, mental health, community and interpersonal violence, policy, as well as perspectives as gun violence survivors, and will help guide the campaign's strategy and messaging: Christian Heyne – Chief Programs and Policy Officer, Brady Nicole Hockley – Co-founder and CEO, Sandy Hook Promise Dr. Kurt Michael – Senior Clinical Director, The Jed Foundation Dr. Ali Rowhani-Rahbar – Bartley Dobb Professor for the Study and Prevention of Violence, Interim Director of the Firearm Injury and Policy Research Program, University of Washington Dr. Chethan Sathya – Director, Northwell Health Center for Gun Violence Prevention; Pediatric Surgeon, Trauma Director, Cohen Children's Medical Center Anthony Smith – Executive Director, Cities United Dr. Laura Vargas – Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry in the University of Colorado School of Medicine, Anschutz Medical Center Dr. Ashley Williams – Trauma, Acute Care & Burn Surgeon, USA Health University Hospital; Director, USA Center for Healthy Communities; Founder & Director, Project Inspire Building from the model developed by the Ad Council for its groundbreaking COVID-19 Vaccine Education Initiative, which reached more than 75% of those eligible to get vaccinated against the virus, the nonprofit is evolving this approach to comprehensively address gun violence prevention. This includes a coalition-based and multi-audience approach, mobilizing the advertising, media and marketing industries to tackle gun violence prevention in America. Data shows intervention exists in many forms for gun violence prevention. This new effort will complement both the successful "End Family Fire" and forthcoming Extreme Risk Laws Education campaigns developed by the Ad Council and Brady. These campaigns focus on two evidenced-based solutions, safe gun storage and education on state-level extreme risk laws, assuring responsible access and safeguarding of guns to prevent gun violence. The Ad Council The Ad Council convenes creative storytellers to educate, unite and uplift audiences by opening hearts, inspiring action and accelerating change around the most pressing issues in America. Since the non-profit's founding, the organization and its partners in advertising, media, marketing and tech have been behind some of the country's most iconic social impact campaigns – Smokey Bear, A Mind Is a Terrible Thing to Waste, Love Has No Labels, Tear the Paper Ceiling and many more. With a current focus on mental health, gun safety, the opioid epidemic, hate and bias, skill-based hiring and other critical issues, the Ad Council's national campaigns encompass advertising and media content, ground game and community efforts, trusted messenger and influencer engagement, and employer programs, among other innovative strategies to move the needle on the most important issues of the day. To learn more or get involved, visit AdCouncil.org, join the Ad Council's communities on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter, and view campaign creative on YouTube. SOURCE The Ad Council