Methodological approaches used to assess the relationship between parental supervision and child injury risk
- Authors: Petrass, Lauren , Finch, Caroline , Blitvich, Jennifer
- Date: 2009
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Injury Prevention Vol. 15, no. 2 (2009), p. 132-138
- Relation: http://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/565900
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- Description: Objective: To describe and rate the quality of methodological approaches used to measure parental supervision in relation to injury risk in children aged 0-14 years. Design: A systematic review of the literature related to supervision and injury risk. Methods: A comprehensive search of electronic databases from the earliest records available to the end of 2007, and supplemental hand-searching of relevant journals, reference lists of studies identified through database searches, and bibliographies of systematic and non-systematic reviews. A classification scale was used to rate the methodological quality of studies. Results: 30 papers met the inclusion criteria. They varied substantially in quality, and no meta-analyses or randomised controlled trials were identified. Fifteen studies used self-report approaches, asking parents or care givers to report through recording diaries, interviews and questionnaires and were considered of low quality; 11 studies reconstructed injury outcomes retrospectively. Observational studies were conducted in both laboratory and natural settings (n=6), and these studies were generally of higher quality than self-report methods. Conclusions: The quality of many supervision and child injury risk studies is low to moderate. Further development of methodological approaches is needed to improve studies of the relationship between supervision and child injury risk.
- Description: 2003008187
Parent/caregiver supervision and child injury : A systematic review of critical dimensions for understanding this relationship
- Authors: Petrass, Lauren , Blitvich, Jennifer , Finch, Caroline
- Date: 2009
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Family & Community Health Vol. 33, no. 2 (Apr-Jun 2009), p. 123-135
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- Description: This study reviewed the relationship between recognized dimensions of supervision and children's injuries based on Saluja et al's (Injury Control and Safety Promotion. 2004; 11: 17-22) hierarchal model of supervision strategies. A systematic review of peer-review studies was clone with the earliest records available to 2007. There were 112 potentially relevant articles identified; 31 studies met all inclusion criteria. Reported Studies were categorized according to the dimensions Of supervision they addressed. Studies were not evenly distributed across the dimensions. There was evidence from the Study that directly linking dimensions of supervision to child injury risk and outcomes is scarce. future studies should consider attention, proximity, and continuity Of supervision to provide a holistic understanding of the relationship between Supervision and injury
- Description: 2003008201
Adapting an established measure of supervision for beach settings. Is the parent supervision attributes profile questionnaire reliable?
- Authors: Petrass, Lauren , Blitvich, Jennifer , Finch, Caroline
- Date: 2011
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: International Journal of Injury Control and Safety Promotion Vol. 18, no. 2 (2011), p. 113-117
- Relation: http://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/565900
- Relation: http://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/565904
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- Description: The Parent Supervision Attributes Profile Questionnaire (PSAPQ), developed to measure aspects of caregiver supervision and protectiveness and previously applied within playgrounds and in the home, was modified for implementation in a beach setting. To assess the test-retest reliability of the PSAPQ beach modification (PSAPQBEACH), 20 caregivers completed the PSAPQ-BEACH twice, over a mean interval of 18 days (range 10-24). The test-retest reliability and internal consistency of the PSAPQ-BEACH scores were compared to those of the PSAPQ. All scores on the PSAPQ-BEACH were higher than the PSAPQ, providing evidence that the questionnaire remains reliable after its adaptation to beach settings. © 2011 Taylor & Francis.
Lack of caregiver supervision : A contributing factor in Australian unintentional child drowning deaths, 2000-2009
- Authors: Petrass, Lauren , Blitvich, Jennifer , Finch, Caroline
- Date: 2011
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Medical Journal of Australia Vol. 194, no. 5 (2011), p. 228-231
- Relation: http://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/565900
- Relation: http://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/565904
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- Description: Objectives: To establish how frequently supervision was explicitly identified as a factor in coroner-certified unintentional drowning deaths of children in Australia, and to determine the percentage of cases where failure of supervision may have been a contributing factor; also, to identify the proportion of cases with coroners' recommendations relating to supervision and unintentional child drownings. Design and setting: Retrospective case-series analysis of unintentional drowning deaths of children (aged 0-14 years) in Australia from 1 July 2000 to 30 June 2009, based on data from the National Coroners Information System (NCIS). Main outcome measures: Number of unintentional child drownings and the extent to which supervisory factors were formally reported by coroners as a contributing factor; proportion of cases with coroners' findings that also had coroners' recommendations. Results: 339 relevant child drownings were identified within the 9-year period. Supervision (or lack thereof) was identified as a contributing factor in 71.7%. However, specific detail about the nature and extent of supervision varied across these cases. The availability of text documents describing the findings (police reports, coroners' findings, autopsy reports, toxicology reports), and the level of detail within these documents, also varied considerably across jurisdictions. Despite almost half (47.2%) of the closed cases having coroners' findings attached, only 15% of these also included specific coroners' recommendations. Conclusion: Lack of adequate supervision, or lack thereof, is a significant problem associated with fatal drownings of children in Australia. There is a need to improve the standard and consistency of information contained in text documents within the NCIS to provide more useful information for preventing child drowning deaths.
Observations of caregiver supervision of children at beaches : Identification of factors associated with high supervision
- Authors: Petrass, Lauren , Blitvich, Jennifer , Finch, Caroline
- Date: 2011
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Injury Prevention Vol. 17, no. 4 (2011), p. 244-249
- Relation: http://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/565900
- Relation: http://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/565904
- Full Text: false
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- Description: Objective: To identify independent factors associated with caregiver supervision levels at beaches. Methods: Children (aged 1-14 years) engaged in beach play and their caregivers were observed at Australian beaches during September-April, 2008/09. Caregiver, child, and environmental factor data were collected and recorded on a validated observation instrument. The main outcome of interest was a continuous measure of supervision. After adjusting for potential clustering by beach/state, multivariable linear regression was used to identify independent factors associated with caregiver supervision. Results: Four independent predictors of supervision and one interaction effect (child age by the caregiver and child position on beach) were identified. Caregivers who were supervising from a different position to where the child was playing were less likely to provide high supervision, as were older caregivers (>35 years) compared to younger caregivers (≤34 years). Compared to children playing alone, children playing with one, or two or more others were less likely to receive high supervision, and children aged 1-4 years were likely to receive higher supervision than older children. Conclusion: This study provides new knowledge about underlying factors associated with the level of caregiver supervision in beach settings. Future studies should continue to explore independent predictors of supervision so that effective programmes, which focus on caregiver supervision, can be targeted to address poor supervision practices.
Self-reported supervisory behavior and beliefs vs. actual observations of caregiver behavior at beaches
- Authors: Petrass, Lauren , Blitvich, Jennifer , Finch, Caroline
- Date: 2011
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education Vol. 5, no. 2 (May 2011), p. 199-209
- Relation: http://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/565900
- Relation: http://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/565904
- Full Text: false
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- Description: This study examined self-reported supervisory behaviors of caregivers at beaches and ascertained whether self-reported supervision reflects observed behavior. Observations were conducted of caregiver/child pairs at 18 Australian beaches, with questionnaires subsequently completed by caregivers. Caregivers identified visual contact as essential for close supervision and proximity a key determinant in distinguishing supervision and close supervision. Supervisory behavior was associated with child age, while lifeguard patrol had no effect on supervision. All supervision statements from the PSAPQ-BEACH were associated with supervision. Only three statements were significant independent predictors of supervision. Comparisons suggest caregivers' self-reported supervisory behavior reflects actual supervision. As this is the first study of its kind, it is essential that further prospective research using mixed-method approaches build on this information.
Can you swim? An exploration of measuring real and perceived water competency
- Authors: Moran, Kevin , Stallman, Robert , Kjendlie, PerLudvik , Dahl, Dagmar , Blitvich, Jennifer , Petrass, Lauren , McElroy, G. Keith , Goya, Toshiaki , Teramoto, Keisuke , Matsui, Atsunori , Shimongata, Shuji
- Date: 2012
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education Vol. 6, no. 2 (2012), p. 122-135
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- Description: Little is known about the relationship between real and perceived water competence among youth in the context of drowning prevention or of their perceptions of their risk of drowning. This study reports the findings of an international project entitled Can You Swim? Collegiate physical education students (n = 373) were assessed in a two-part study using an initial questionnaire survey to provide self-estimates of water competency and risk perception, followed by six practical tests in the water. Correlation coefficients between perceived and real swimming (rs = 0.369) and floating (rs = 0.583) skills were significant but only moderate in strength. No significant gender differences in real or perceived water competency were found. Significantly more males than females estimated lower risk of drowning associated with a series of aquatic scenarios (p = 0.016). The implications of these findings on drowning prevention and the need for further investigation are discussed. © 2012 Human Kinetics, Inc.
- Description: 2003010691
Can you swim? Self-report and actual swimming competence among young adults in Ballarat, Australia
- Authors: Petrass, Lauren , Blitvich, Jennifer , McElroy, G. Keith , Harvey, Jack , Moran, Kevin
- Date: 2012
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education Vol. 6, no. 2 (2012), p. 136-148
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- Description: This paper reports the Australian findings in an international study comparing self-reported and actual swimming and aquatic skills of young adults. Physical Education and Sports Sciences students (n = 263) completed the "Can You Swim?" self-report survey and practical skills assessment, unaware that the practical tests replicated survey items. Relationships for comparisons between practical tests and their matched survey item were weak, indicating participants had inaccurate perceptions of their own swimming skills. Typically, they underestimated their competence in terms of distance and fundamental aquatic skills. Understanding of what constitutes different levels of swimming ability was poor; for example, most participants identified as average or good to excellent swimmers, but more than half of self-identified average swimmers and 20% of good to excellent swimmers estimated they could complete < 100 m of continuous swimming. The implications of study findings for drowning prevention and the need for further research are discussed. © 2012 Human Kinetics, Inc.
- Description: 2003010667
Swim instructor beliefs about toddler and preschool swimming and water safety education
- Authors: Blitvich, Jennifer , Moran, Kevin , Petrass, Lauren , McElroy, G. Keith , Stanley, Teresa
- Date: 2012
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education Vol. 6, no. 2 (2012), p. 110-121
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- Description: To study the teacher component of the parent-teacher-learner triad in preschool aquatics and explore compatibility of instructor messages with current drowning prevention beliefs, 133 preschool aquatics instructors were surveyed. Instructors with basic swim teacher accreditation and those with a preschool/infant instructor extension ("Extension") were compared. More Extension instructors selected "safety" as an important outcome (
- Description: 2003010690
The nature of caregiver supervision of young children in public pools
- Authors: Petrass, Lauren , Blitvich, Jennifer
- Date: 2012
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education Vol. 6, no. 1 (2012), p. 11-23
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- Description: This study examined the level of caregiver supervision when children were engaged in active play at public pools. A six-hour unobtrusive observation period was conducted at six different indoor aquatic venues with caregivers accompanying children aged < 10 years eligible to be monitored. Child behavior, corresponding caregiver supervision, and the willingness of parents to intervene when children exhibited unsafe behaviors all were considered. Environmental factors and pool conditions were also recorded. Chi-square tests illustrated that increased supervision was associated with decreased incidents and lower risk behaviors. Supervision was significantly affected by child and caregiver age, number of children for whom caregivers were responsible, and child swimming ability. The nature of caregiver supervision in aquatic settings requires further investigation to enable the development of effective programs to address poor supervision practices. © 2012 Human Kinetics, Inc.
The relationship between ground conditions and injury : What level of evidence do we have?
- Authors: Petrass, Lauren , Twomey, Dara
- Date: 2012
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport Vol.16, no. 2 (2012), p. 105-112
- Full Text: false
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- Description: Objectives: To identify studies which address the relationship between ground conditions and injury, in a sporting context and to evaluate current practice and provide recommendations for future studies that measure ground conditions and injury risk. Design: Systematic review. Methods: A comprehensive search of electronic databases from the earliest records available until the end of 2011, and supplemental hand searching was conducted to identify relevant studies. A classification scale was used to rate the methodological quality of studies. Results: 79 potentially relevant articles were identified, and 27 met all inclusion criteria. They varied in methodological quality, with analytical observational studies the most common design, although four descriptive observational studies, considered to be of lower quality were also identified. Only five studies objectively measured ground conditions, and of studies that used subjective assessment, only one provided descriptors to explain their classifications. It appears that harder/drier grounds are associated with an increased injury risk but the presence of major limitations necessitates cautious interpretation of many key findings. Conclusions: There is limited high quality evidence of the relationship between injury risk and ground conditions. Further research with high quality designs, and measurement of ground conditions are required to draw more definitive conclusions regarding this relationship. © 2012.
The effect of stud configuration on rotational traction using the studded boot apparatus
- Authors: Twomey, Dara , Connell, Monique , Petrass, Lauren , Otago, Leonie
- Date: 2013
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Sports Engineering Vol. 16, no. 1 (2013), p. 21-27
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- Description: Due to its associated injury risk, rotational traction is a frequently measured natural turf surface property. The most commonly used equipment, the studded boot apparatus (SBA), consists of a circular stud configuration that does not replicate the stud pattern on a regular football boot and may under or over estimate the surface traction. The aim of this study was to establish potential differences in the rotational traction measured between the current stud configuration on the SBA and the stud configuration on the most commonly used Australian football boots. The original studded boot had significantly higher rotational traction than the moulded stud sole or bladed sole. Location, quality and time tested all interacted significantly with the rotational traction measured. The current SBA may not accurately represent the rotational traction experienced by football players, and consequently may not be the most appropriate configuration to assess the relationship between rotational traction and injuries. © 2012 International Sports Engineering Association.
- Description: 2003010831
Unobtrusive observation of caregiver-child pairs at public pools and playgrounds: Implications for child unintentional injury risk
- Authors: Petrass, Lauren , Blitvich, Jennifer
- Date: 2013
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: International Journal of Aquatic Research and Education Vol. 7, no. 3 (2013), p. 204-213
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- Description: This study aimed to determine and compare the nature of supervision children received in two settings that have different levels of environmental risk, an aquatic setting (public pools) and a nonaquatic setting (playgrounds). An observational design was implemented to examine caregiver and child behaviors at six indoor public pools and four playgrounds. Chi-square tests of homogeneity were conducted to determine associations between caregiver and child variables. Preschool children received significantly higher levels of supervision than school-aged children in both settings. For school-aged children the level of supervision varied between settings, with children significantly more likely to be unsupervised in public pools and poorly supervised on playgrounds. Reasons for the lack of supervision in aquatic settings remain unclear, particularly as this setting was considered to present higher environmental risk, because drowning rates are high for young children. Because evidence indicates inadequate supervision is common in aquatic settings, further investigations are required to identify ways to promote closer supervision practices and determine caregiver perceptions regarding their responsibilities when supervising young children in aquatic settings.
- Description: C1
Abrasion injuries on artificial turf : A real risk or not?
- Authors: Twomey, Dara , Petrass, Lauren , Fleming, Paul
- Date: 2014
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: South African Journal of Sports Medicine Vol. 26, no. 3 (2014), p. 91-92
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- Description: Abrasion injuries result in damage only to the surface layer of skin and can result in player discomfort and changes in performance. The perceived fear of abrasion injuries on artificial turf playing surfaces has significantly affected the adoption of these surfaces, particularly in sports that involve frequent player-surface interactions. The underreporting of abrasion injuries due to how time-loss injuries are defined and the lack of validity of the current abrasion measurement device highlight the need for more research to understand fully the incidence and nature of abrasions on artificial turf playing surfaces and the effect of these injuries on playing behaviour. Improved reporting of abrasion injuries and a more biofidelic test device could assist in both the development of abrasion-related injury prevention strategies and in dispelling players’ negative perceptions of abrasions on artificial turf.
Ground condition as a risk factor in sports injury aetiology studies : the level of concordance between objective and subjective measures
- Authors: Twomey, Dara , Petrass, Lauren , Orchard, John , Finch, Caroline
- Date: 2014
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Injury Epidemiology Vol. 1, no. 1 (2014), p.1-7
- Relation: http://purl.org/au-research/grants/nhmrc/565900
- Full Text: false
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- Description:
BACKGROUND:It is well known that the condition and type of sporting ground influences the risk of sports injury. However, the lack of evidence on the relationship between subjective and objective sporting ground condition assessments in sports injury aetiology studies has implications for the development of effective injury prevention strategies. This paper aims to examine concordance between subjectively rated and objective ground hardness and moisture measurements to inform data collection methods for future sports injury aetiology studies. METHODS:Subjective, observational assessments of ground hardness and soil moisture were recorded on 36 occasions during an Australian football season using two four-point scales of 'very soft' to 'very hard' and 'very wet' to 'very dry', respectively. Independent, objectively measured hardness and soil moisture were also undertaken at nine locations on the same grounds. The maximum and minimum ground values and the computed average of ground hardness and soil moisture were analysed. Somer's d statistic was calculated to measure the level of concordance between the subjective and objective measures. RESULTS:A significant, moderate to substantial level of agreement was found between the subjective ratings and the average objective hardness values (d = 0.467, p <0.001), but there was perfect agreement on just less than half of the occasions. The level of concordance between the subjective and objective moisture ratings was low to moderate or trivial for all moisture measures (0.002
0.05). CONCLUSIONS:Compared to objective measures, the subjective assessments were more accurate for ground hardness than for soil moisture levels and raters were just as likely to underestimate or overestimate the condition under review. This has implications for future sports injury aetiology studies that include ground condition assessments and particularly the use of subjective measures to underpin the development of future injury prevention strategies.
One, two, three or four: Does the number of Clegg hammer drops alter ground hardness readings on natural grass?
- Authors: Twomey, Dara , Ullah, Shahid , Petrass, Lauren
- Date: 2014
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part P: Journal of Sports Engineering and Technology Vol. 228, no. 1 (2014), p. 33-39
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- Description: The Clegg hammer is currently used to measure hardness of natural turf surfaces to inform performance and safety decisions. However, the number of Clegg hammer drops reported in natural grass testing varies from one to four drops, and the impact of the choice of the number of drops is unknown. The aim of this article is to determine whether significant differences exist between the four Clegg hammer drops on natural grass across a variety of conditions. Hardness readings (using a 2.25 kg Clegg hammer), soil moisture and botanical composition were recorded at nine different sites on seven football fields during an 18-week playing season. A total of 1255 hardness readings were collected for each of four consecutive Clegg hammer drops. Overall, there were significant differences between drop 1 and the other three consecutive drops, on all fields and on all sites. Deep soil moisture was the only factor that significantly influenced the hardness readings. The results of this study demonstrate that the decision regarding the number of drops recorded needs careful consideration as conclusions drawn on playability of a ground or the association with injury risk may vary considerably depending on the number of drops. © 2013 IMechE.
Preventing adolescent drowning: Understanding water safety knowledge, attitudes and swimming ability. the effect of a short water safety intervention
- Authors: Petrass, Lauren , Blitvich, Jennifer
- Date: 2014
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Accident Analysis and Prevention Vol. 70, no. (September 2014), p. 188-194
- Full Text: false
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- Description: Worldwide, epidemiological data indicate that children are a high-risk group for drowning and while progress has been made in understanding toddler drownings, there is a lack of empirical evidence regarding the drowning risk and protective factors inherent for adolescents and young adults. This study used a self-report questionnaire to establish swimming and water safety knowledge and attitudes of young adults and objectively measured their actual swimming ability using formal practical testing procedures. Participants then completed a short, 12-week intervention that encompassed swimming, survival and rescue skills, along with water safety knowledge applicable to a range of aquatic environments. Knowledge, attitudes and swimming ability were then re-measured following the intervention to evaluate its effectiveness. The Wilcoxon matched pairs signed ranks test was performed to detect whether there were significant differences between knowledge, attitude and swim ability scores pre-intervention and post-intervention. A total of 135 participants completed the baseline and follow up questionnaire and all practical testing. Results indicated that these young adults had a very low level of water safety knowledge pre-intervention, although the majority had sound swimming and water safety skills and attitudes. Overall, significant improvements were evident in knowledge (p < 0.001) and swim ability (p < 0.001) post-intervention, although no changes were observed in attitudes (p = 0.079). Previous participation in formal swimming lessons and/or swimming within the school curriculum had no significant impact on water safety knowledge, skills or attitudes of these young adults, and there were few significant gender differences. While it is important to conduct further studies to confirm that these findings are consistent with a more representative sample of young adults, our findings are the first to provide empirical evidence of the value of a comprehensive aquatic education program as a drowning prevention strategy for young adults.
Selection and management of sports grounds : Does surface heat matter?
- Authors: Twomey, Dara , Petrass, Lauren , Harvey, Jack , Otago, Leonie , Rossignol, Peter
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Facility Planning, Design, and Management Vol. 4, no. 1 (2016), p. 33-47
- Full Text: false
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- Description: Little evidence exists on the surface temperatures experienced on third generation (3G) artificial turf sports surfaces. Without this fundamental information, it is difficult for local government organizations, governing bodies of sport, or facility managers to determine whether these surfaces are the most appropriate option for their venues and whether different management strategies need to be applied if these surfaces are installed in hot climates. Ambient and surface temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, and cloud cover were measured on two natural grass and two adjacent artificial turf surfaces. The highest temperatures were recorded on 3G artificial turf (M = 46.3°C, maximum = 86.6°C) and the lowest on irrigated natural grass (M = 24.1°C, maximum = 49.4°C). Overall, surface temperature was significantly associated with ambient temperature, wind speed , and cloud cover and with the interaction between ambient termperature and surface type. The current findings have implications for sport surface selection and management, particularly in hot climates.
A lack of aquatic rescue competency : A drowning risk factor for young adults involved in aquatic emergencies
- Authors: Petrass, Lauren , Blitvich, Jennifer
- Date: 2018
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Community Health Vol. 43, no. 4 (2018), p. 688-693
- Full Text: false
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- Description: Drowning is an important public health issue with major impacts on young adults aged 15–24 years, yet little is known about the causal factors for drowning for this group. As young adults recreate with peers in unpatrolled aquatic environments, the capacity to perform effective and efficient rescues seems pivotal. This study examined perceived ability of young adults to perform a rescue; determined the level of aquatic rescue knowledge; and measured the effect of an aquatic rescue intervention. In total, 135 participants completed pre- and post-intervention surveys and rescue practical testing. Wilcoxon matched pairs signed rank tests were used to assess significant differences pre- and post-intervention and Mann–Whitney tests used to compare groups. Pre-intervention, participants had a low level of rescue knowledge (Mdn = 50) and the relationship between perceived rescue ability and practical rescue testing was weak (rs = 0.33, p ≤ 0.001). Post-intervention, ability to perform a contact tow demonstrated significant improvement (z = − 9.09, p < 0.001, r = − 0.79) and rescue knowledge also improved significantly (Mdn = 100, z = − 9.42, p < 0.001, r = − 0.81). Many young adults lacked both the physical capacity and knowledge required to safely perform a rescue, a factor that may place them at increased drowning risk if they attempt an aquatic rescue. As a rescue based intervention can significantly improve competency of young adults regardless of previous experience and/or qualifications, research needs to consider how best these competencies can be promoted and/or developed with this high risk group.
Abrasion injuries on artificial turf : A systematic review
- Authors: Twomey, Dara , Petrass, Lauren , Fleming, Paul , Lenehan, Kurt
- Date: 2019
- Type: Text , Journal article , Review
- Relation: Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport Vol. 22, no. 5 (2019), p. 550-556
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- Description: Objectives: To review the incidence of abrasion injuries sustained on artificial turf playing fields and the level of evidence existing on player perceptions of abrasion injuries on these surfaces. Design: Systematic review. Method: A systematic search was performed using SPORTDiscus, Medline, Web of Science, Scopus and Science Direct databases. Inclusion criteria included: abrasion type injuries measured; conducted on artificial/synthetic turf; type of sport reported; peer-reviewed original research; English language search terms, but no language restrictions. A quality assessment was conducted using the Newcastle-Ottawa quality scale. Results: The search yielded 76 potential articles, with 25 meeting all inclusion criteria. Twenty articles were injury-based and five were perception–based. The differences in injury definition and the lack of details of the playing surfaces produced varying results on the rate of injuries on artificial turf. Regardless of the condition of the surface, the level of play, or the sport, players perceived the fear of abrasion injuries as a major disadvantage of artificial turf surfaces. Conclusions: The review highlighted the current disparity that exists between players’ perceptions of abrasion injuries and the level of evidence of abrasion injury risk on artificial turf playing surfaces. There is a need for the inclusion of greater detail of playing surfaces’ specifications and condition, and an injury definition sufficiently sensitive to better measure abrasion injury incidence and severity. Without this more detailed information, it is likely that the strongly perceived risk of abrasion injuries will continue as a barrier to the adoption of artificial playing surfaces.