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Background: This study aims to describe TBI-related hospitalizations for the whole population and identify factors associated with in-hospital mortality among elderly (≥65 years) patients hospitalized with TBI in Texas. Methods: Using Texas Hospital Discharge Data from 2012 to 2014, TBI-related hospitalizations were identified using International Classification of Diseases – Ninth Revision – Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) codes. Rates for age and gender were estimated using U.S. Census data. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to identify factors associated with in-hospital mortality among those aged at least 65 years. Results: There were 51,419 TBI-related hospitalizations from 2012 to 2014 in Texas. Falls were the leading cause of TBI-related hospitalizations 6235 (36.64%), 6595 (38.40%), and 5412 (37.59%) for 2012, 2013, and 2014, respectively. Males had higher rates of hospitalizations while rates were highest for those above 80 years of age. Compared to Whites, Hispanics had 1.18 higher adjusted odds of in-hospital mortality [OR = 1.18: 95% CI (1.01–1.40)]. Similarly, adjusted odds of in-hospital mortality were higher among males [OR = 1.55: 95% CI (1.36–1.77)]. Conclusion: This study provided evidence of demographic disparities in the burden and outcome of TBI in Texas, findings could serve as a foundation for targeted TBI prevention interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agriculture consistently ranks among the top hazardous occupations, accounting for a significant number of injuries and fatalities in the workplace. Eastern North Carolina has a significant number of small, independent, family-run, owned, and operated farms. However, little is known about perception, behavior, training, accessibility, or purchasing personal protective equipment (PPE) for safety among farmers in the region. In this study, telephone interviews were conducted among participating farmers between March and June 2012 (N= 129). Univariate and bivariate analyses were conducted to examine associations between PPE behavior and workplace hazards, health-related concerns, and wearing and purchasing PPE. Findings indicated that personal behavior of wearing hearing protection devices (HPDs) and protection from the sun among farmers was low. However, a relatively high percentage of farmers reported wearing PPE when working with agricultural chemicals. Most farmers received training from agricultural extension offices. The findings indicate that, in general, farmers are well aware of the risks associated with occupational hazards and recognize concern for health and safety protection in the workplace. Transitioning these concerns into preventative action remains a challenge and priority for the agricultural health professional. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a case study on the behavior and perception of using personal protective equipment (PPE) among commercial landscapers. Landscapers are exposed to several chemicals including pesticides, fertilizer, and fuels, besides outdoor heat, sun's ultraviolet radiation, and poisonous plants and insects. The findings of the study showed that most workers knew about the importance of using PPE, a more robust study is needed to examine the use of safety gear and work-related injuries.