ObjectivesThe aim of this study is to ascertain and identify the effectiveness of area-based initiatives as a policy tool mediated by societal and individual factors in the five World Health Organization (WHO)-designated Safe Communities of Korea and the Health Action Zones of the United Kingdom (UK).MethodsThe Korean National Hospital discharge in-depth injury survey from the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and causes of death statistics by the Statistics Korea were used for all analyses. The trend and changes in injury rate and mortality by external causes were compared among the five WHO-designated Safe Communities in Korea.ResultsThe injury incident rates decreased at a greater level in the Safe Communities compared with the national average. Similar results were shown for the changes in unintentional injury incident rates. In comparison of changes in mortality rate by external causes between 2005 and 2011, the rate increase in Safe Communities was higher than the national average except for Jeju, where the mortality rate by external causes decreased.ConclusionWhen the Healthy Action Zones of the UK and the WHO Safe Communities of Korea were examined, the outcomes were interpreted differently among the compared index, regions, and time periods. Therefore, qualitative outcomes, such as bringing the residents' attention to the safety of the communities and promoting participation and coordination of stakeholders, should also be considered as important impacts of the community-based initiatives.
expected) but that the late-morning hours are at high risk as well. Moreover, morning falls result in a higher frequency of fractures, maybe because of attempts to rise for lunch or personal hygiene. A recent study conducted on people with dementia showed that 35% of falls occurred between 9:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m., with a midafternoon peak. 9 To the best of the knowledge of the authors, no studies with chronobiological analysis have been performed. Identification of rhythmic patterns of certain events means predictability of events, and when an event is predictable, adequate strategies of prevention may be attempted. According to a recent meta-analysis, there is no conclusive evidence that fall prevention programs can reduce the number of falls, 10 but three of eight studies meeting the inclusion criteria showed significantly fewer falls (30-49%) in the intervention group. 10 Further studies are needed to verify whether studies addressing the most important risk factors for falls could help in reducing the number of falls. Moreover, the identification of temporal frames of highest risk during the day could help to customize preventive strategies, optimize patient assistance, and reduce economic burden.
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