Trends in alcohol-impaired driving in Canada Trends in alcohol-impaired driving in Canada

Abstract Background Drinking and driving continues to be a major road safety problem in Canada with 744 persons killed in crashes involving a drinking driver and 37% of fatally injured drivers testing positive for alcohol in 2010, the most recent data year available. Aims This paper describes recent trends in drinking and driving in Canada to better understand the current situation, and to determine whether the magnitude of the problem has been increasing or decreasing. Methods Multiple indicators are used to examine trends in drinking driving behaviour and alcoholrelated fatalities. Data sources include: A National Fatality Database, a comprehensive source of national data compiled annually by the Traffic Injury Research Foundation (TIRF) from coroner/medical examiner files and police reports on fatal crashes; and the Road Safety Monitor (RSM), an annual National Public Opinion Poll on Drinking and Driving conducted by TIRF. Results From 1995 to 2010 in Canada, there has been a continued and fairly consistent decrease in the number of fatalities involving a drinking driver in absolute terms as well as when these numbers are standardized into per capita and per licensed driver rates. The number and percent of fatally injured drivers testing positive for alcohol have also declined over this study period. Survey data from the RSM further show that the percentage of those who reported driving after they thought they were over the legal limit has also decreased consistently and significantly since 2008. Discussion and conclusions Despite the apparent decreasing trend in drinking driving fatalities and behaviour since 1995, reductions have been relatively modest in recent years, and fatalities in crashes involving drivers who have consumed alcohol remain at high unacceptable levels

Effectiveness, cost-effectiveness and cost-benefit of a single annual professional intervention for the prevention of childhood dental caries in a remote rural Indigenous community

Background The aim of the study is to reduce the high prevalence of tooth decay in children in a remote, rural Indigenous community in Australia, by application of a single annual dental preventive intervention. The study seeks to (1) assess the effectiveness of an annual oral health preventive intervention in slowing the incidence of dental caries in children in this community, (2) identify the mediating role of known risk factors for dental caries and (3) assess the cost-effectiveness and cost-benefit of the intervention. Methods/design The intervention is novel in that most dental preventive interventions require regular re-application, which is not possible in resource constrained communities. While tooth decay is preventable, self-care and healthy habits are lacking in these communities, placing more emphasis on health services to deliver an effective dental preventive intervention. Importantly, the study will assess cost-benefit and cost-effectiveness for broader implementation across similar communities in Australia and internationally. Discussion There is an urgent need to reduce the burden of dental decay in these communities, by implementing effective, cost-effective, feasible and sustainable dental prevention programs. Expected outcomes of this study include improved oral and general health of children within the community; an understanding of the costs associated with the intervention provided, and its comparison with the costs of allowing new lesions to develop, with associated treatment costs. Findings should be generalisable to similar communities around the world. The research is registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (ANZCTR), registration number ACTRN12615000693527; date of registration: 3rd July 2015

Knowledge, behaviours and attitudes of mothers regarding vertical transmission of mutans streptococci: a qualitative study.

Mutans streptococci (MS) are the key bacterial species\ud responsible for the development of early childhood\ud caries. Studies have shown that these bacteria\ud can be transmitted from mother to child via a pathway\ud known as vertical transmission. However, a paucity\ud of research has been found on mothers'\ud knowledge, behaviours and attitudes of this issue.\ud The aim of this research project was to determine the\ud knowledge, behaviours and attitudes of mothers\ud regarding vertical transmission of MS from mother to\ud child, and to determine external influences on mothers'\ud awareness of this issue. To assess this, a qualitative\ud case study methodology of an exploratory nature\ud was chosen. The case was defined as mothers' awareness\ud regarding vertical transmission of MS from\ud mother to child