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Determinants Of Health Related To Primary Health Care Reaction Paper

Encouraging Seatbelt Usage as Part of Primary Care Unintentional injuries resulting from motor vehicle accidents represent one of the leading causes of death among adolescents in Western nations today (Jones & Schultz, 2009). Despite legislation requiring their use in many countries, adolescents and young adults are among those with the lowest rates of seat belt usage with the highest risk of being injured in a motor vehicle accident (Cross, 1999). To determine what role nurses can play in encouraging self belt use and reducing the current levels of morbidity and mortality associated in the future, this paper provides a review of the relevant literature followed by a summary of the research and important findings in the conclusion.

Review and Discussion

More young people aged 13 to 19 years die from unintentional injuries received in traffic-related collisions on U.S. public roads than any other cause (Jones & Schultz, 2009). In fact, more than 5,000 young people in this age range died from motor vehicle crashes in the United States in 2005 alone, and more than a half million incurred nonfatal injuries that were sufficiently serious to warrant treatment in an emergency department (Jones & Schultz, 2009). Males in this age range are more than twice as likely as their female counterparts to die or become injured in a motor vehicle accident, while...

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According to Cross (1999), "The effectiveness of seat belts in reducing transportation-related fatalities and injuries is widely accepted. Seat belts reduce the risk of death and serious injuries in motor vehicle crashes by 45-60%. Increasing seat belt use among adolescents is a priority because they have among the lowest rates of belt use and the highest risk of fatal crashes per mile driven of any age group" (p. 268). The effectiveness of seat belts in reducing injuries and deaths from motor vehicle accidents has been proven through exhaustive testing including study designs involving laboratory experiments (using human volunteers, cadavers, and anthropomorphic crash dummies), postcrash comparisons of injuries sustained by restrained and unrestrained occupants, and post-crash judgments by crash analysts regarding the probable effects of restraints had they been used (McGlynn & Damberg, 2000). Furthermore, the research to date confirms that even when young people are injured in motor vehicles accidents, victims who were wearing their seat belts at the time of the accident have less severe injuries, are less likely to require admission, and have lower hospital charges (McGlynn & Damberg, 2000).
Seat belts have been installed in all American cars and trucks for…

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References

Cross, H.D. (1999). An adolescent health and lifestyle guide. Adolescence, 29(114), 267-269.

Jones, S.E. & Schultz, R.A. (2009, April). Trends and subgroup differences in transportation-related injury -- risk and safety behaviors among U.S. high school students, 1991-2007.

Journal of School Health, 79(4), 169-173.

Kendall, S. (2008). Nursing perspectives and contribution to primary health care. Geneva:
Seat belts. (2013). National Safety Council. Retrieved from http://www.nsc.org/safety_
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