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James A Mercy

Publications and source records attributed to James A Mercy.

11 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Can we talk? Importance of random-digit-dial surveys for injury prevention research.

Prevention research in public health requires quality data. In injury prevention research, "official" data sources, such as medical or law enforcement data, often do not possess the required depth or completeness. Self-reported data can fill this gap. Such data allow us to understand knowledge, attitudes, exposures, and behaviors associated with injury risk. Self-reported data are also needed to understand outcomes that are often missing from official sources, such as victimization by an intimate partner that is not reported because of concerns about legal consequences and less severe injuries from suicide attempts that go untreated. Data on risk and protective factors and specific types of violence exposures can often only be obtained by directly asking those affected. In addition, "official" data sources are rarely representative. Random-digit-dialing (RDD) surveys are a method of obtaining representative self-reported data. The RDD approach is relatively cost effective, handles non-English-speaking households with relative ease, and possesses a well-developed theory for constructing sample weights. However, there are significant challenges to using RDD surveys. These include declining participation rates; possible self-selection bias, since potential respondents can choose to opt out of the survey; and, with sensitive topics such as intimate partner violence, the need to anticipate potential risks for participants. This theme issue provides suggestions for how we can improve the design and implementation of RDD surveys in a manner that is both practical and ethical.

Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System↗
PubMed2006

Do laws restricting access to firearms by domestic violence offenders prevent intimate partner homicide?

Domestic violence imposes a large cost on society. The authors exploit state variation in timing to examine the impact of three types of law on intimate partner homicides. These laws restrict access to firearms by individuals who are subject to a restraining order or have been convicted of a domestic violence misdemeanor or allow law enforcement officers to confiscate firearms at a domestic violence scene. The authors find that female intimate partner homicide rates decline 7% after a state passes a restraining order law. They find no effect from the domestic violence misdemeanor or confiscation laws.

Criminal Law↗
PubMed2005

Prevalence of household firearms and firearm-storage practices in the 50 states and the District of Columbia: findings from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2002.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the prevalence of household firearms and firearm-storage practices in the 50 states and the District of Columbia and estimate the number of children exposed to unsafe storage practices. METHODS: We analyzed data from the 2002 cross-sectional Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System survey of 240735 adults from randomly selected households with telephones in the 50 states and the District of Columbia. RESULTS: Nationally, 32.6% of adults reported that firearms were kept in or around their home. The prevalence of adults with household firearms ranged from 5.2% in the District of Columbia to 62.8% in Wyoming (median: 40.8%). The prevalence of adults with loaded household firearms ranged from 1.6% in Hawaii, Massachusetts, and New Jersey to 19.2% in Alabama (median: 7.0%), and the prevalence of adults with loaded and unlocked household firearms ranged from 0.4% in Massachusetts to 12.7% in Alabama (median: 4.2%). Among adults with children and youth <18 years old, the prevalence of loaded household firearms ranged from 1.0% to 13.4% (median: 5.3%), and the prevalence of loaded and unlocked household firearms ranged from 0.3% to 7.3% (median: 2.3%); in each instance, Massachusetts had the lowest prevalence and Alabama had the highest. Findings indicate that approximately 1.69 million (95% confidence interval: 1.57-1.82 million) children and youth in the United States <18 years old are living with loaded and unlocked household firearms. CONCLUSIONS: Substantial state variations exist in the prevalence of household firearms and firearm-storage practices. It is vital that surveillance systems such as the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System continue to monitor the prevalence of household firearms and firearm-storage practices so that future interventions to promote safe storage of firearms can be evaluated and more widely implemented based on their efficacy.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Nonfatal and fatal firearm-related injuries among children aged 14 years and younger: United States, 1993-2000.

OBJECTIVE: To provide national estimates of fatal and nonfatal firearm-related (FA) injuries among children < or =14 years old and to examine the circumstances under which these injuries occurred. METHODS: For nonfatal FA injuries among children, we analyzed data on emergency department (ED) visits from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System for 1993 through 2000. National estimates of injured children who were treated in hospital EDs were examined by selected characteristics, such as age, gender, race/ethnicity of the patient, primary body part affected, intent of the injury, the relationship of the shooter to the patient, where the injury occurred, and activity at the time of injury. For fatal FA injuries among children, we analyzed mortality data from the National Vital Statistics System for 1993 through 2000. Data from both sources were used to calculate case-fatality rates. RESULTS: From 1993 through 2000, an estimated 22,661 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 16,668-28,654) or 4.9 per 100,000 (95% CI: 3.6-6.2) children < or = 14 years old with nonfatal FA injuries were treated in US hospital EDs. Assaults accounted for 41.5% of nonfatal FA injuries, and unintentional injuries accounted for 43.1%. Approximately 4 of 5 children who sustained a nonfatal, unintentional FA injury were reportedly shot by themselves or by a friend, a relative, or another person known to them. During this period, 5542, or 1.20 per 100,000 (95% CI: 1.17, 1.23), children < or =14 years old died from FA injuries; 1 of every 5 children who were wounded by a firearm gunshot died from that injury. Most FA deaths were violence related, with homicides and suicides constituting 54.7% and 21.9% of these deaths, respectively. For individuals < or =14 years old, the burden of morbidity and mortality associated with FA injuries falls disproportionately on boys, blacks, and children 10 to 14 years old. Both fatal and nonfatal injury rates declined >50% during the study period. CONCLUSIONS: Although rates of nonfatal and fatal FA injuries declined during the period of study, FA injuries remain an important public health concern for children. Well-designed evaluation studies are needed to examine the effectiveness of potential interventions aimed at reducing FA injuries among children.

Accidents↗
PubMed2003

Violence and health: the United States in a global perspective.

Violence is a public health problem that can be understood and changed. Research over the past 2 decades has demonstrated that violence can be prevented and that, in some cases, prevention programs are more cost-effective than other policy options such as incarceration. The United States has much to contribute to-and stands to gain much from-global efforts to prevent violence. A new World Health Organization initiative presents an opportunity for the United States to work with other nations to find cost-effective ways of preventing violence and reducing its enormous costs.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S.↗
PubMed2002

The world report on violence and health.

In 1996, the World Health Assembly declared violence a major public health issue. To follow up on this resolution, on Oct 3 this year, WHO released the first World Report on Violence and Health. The report analyses different types of violence including child abuse and neglect, youth violence, intimate partner violence, sexual violence, elder abuse, self-directed violence, and collective violence. For all these types of violence, the report explores the magnitude of the health and social effects, the risk and protective factors, and the types of prevention efforts that have been initiated. The launch of the report will be followed by a 1-year Global Campaign on Violence Prevention, focusing on implementation of the recommendations. This article summarises some of the main points of the world report.

Global Health↗
PubMed2002

[World report on violence and health].

In 1996, the World Health Assembly declared violence a major public health issue. To follow up on this resolution, on October 3 this year, WHO released the first World Report on Violence and Health. The report analyses different types of violence including child abuse and neglect, youth violence, intimate partner violence, sexual violence, elder abuse, self-directed violence, and collective violence. For all these types of violence, the report explores the magnitude of the health and social effects, the risk and protective factors, and the types of prevention efforts that have been initiated. The launch of the report will be followed by a 1-year Global Campaign on Violence Prevention, focusing on implementation of the recommendations. This article summarises some of the main points of the world report.

Humans↗