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25 Correlates of trauma recidivism: results from a systematic literature review
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  1. Christopher St Vil
  1. University at Buffalo School of Social Work

Abstract

Statement of Purpose Trauma recidivists are patients who present to an emergency room or trauma center on more than one occasion for different incidents of traumatic injury. The purpose of this presentation is to report on the findings of a systematic review of the trauma recidivism literature with the purpose of identifying correlates for future research aimed at preventing trauma recidivism. This presentation will discuss the factors traditionally explored in trauma recidivism research, which of those factors are deemed critical based on previous research and provide recommendations for future research with this vulnerable population.

Methods/Approach 13 data bases were searched from inception to 2017 for studies that explicitly compared hospital-based trauma recidivists to non-recidivists. The search was conducted using PRISMA guidelines for systematic reviews.

Results Screening resulted in the selection of 29 studies that met the inclusion criteria.

Conclusions The literature review identified variables across 6 categories that were included in trauma recidivism literature: 1) Demographic, 2) injury related variables, 3) health related variables, 4) substance use, 5) crime/weapons and 6) vehicular causes. Variables within each category are discussed followed by recommendations of variables to include in future research.

Significance and contributions to injury and violence prevention science Although previous trauma recidivism research has identified risk factors for recidivism, it has largely remained within the field of medicine as a medical issue. Merging social science and medical constructs and processes, improving research on social and cultural influences on health, and integrating basic social science theories, concepts, and methods into applied health research is imperative to moving the field of injury prevention forward. Integration of social science research with the biological and behavioral sciences is an essential component of this task. reported leaving their child alone on a bed without a railing. Nearly 33% of parents (46% of which have a high school diploma or less) reported not using safety guards on all windows. Parents reported not using stair gates 48% of the time, with 55% of those parents having completed less than a Bachelor’s Degree. Also, 67% of parents (all on Medicaid) reported their child wore a helmet ‘sometimes’ or ‘never’ while riding a bicycle. Even though 79% of parents ‘strongly agreed’ to having the knowledge to protect their child from being injured by a fall, 63% of parents reported ‘sometimes’ or ‘rarely’ watching their child when on playground equipment.

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