Bicycle helmets are shown to offer protection against head injuries. Rating methods and test standards are used to evaluate different helmet designs and safety performance. Both strain-based injury criteria obtained from finite element brain injury models and metrics derived from global kinematic responses can be used to evaluate helmet safety performance. Little is known about how different injury models or injury metrics would rank and rate different helmets. The objective of this study was to determine how eight brain models and eight metrics based on global kinematics rank and rate a large number of bicycle helmets (n=17) subjected to oblique impacts. The results showed that the ranking and rating are influenced by the choice of model and metric. Kendall’s tau varied between 0.50 and 0.95 when the ranking was based on maximum principal strain from brain models. One specific helmet was rated as 2-star when using one brain model but as 4-star by another model. This could cause confusion for consumers rather than inform them of the relative safety performance of a helmet. Therefore, we suggest that the biomechanics community should create a norm or recommendation for future ranking and rating methods.
ObjectivesTo compare medical students’ and residents’ knowledge retention of assessment, diagnosis and treatment procedures, as well as a learning experience, of patients with spinal trauma after training with either a Virtual Patient case or a video-recorded traditional lecture.
MethodsA total of 170 volunteers (85 medical students and 85 residents in orthopedic surgery) were randomly allocated (stratified for student/resident and gender) to either a video-recorded standard lecture or a Virtual Patient-based training session where they interactively assessed a clinical case portraying a motorcycle accident. The knowledge retention was assessed by a test immediately following the educational intervention and repeated after a minimum of 2 months. Participants’ learning experiences were evaluated with exit questionnaires. A repeated-measures analysis of variance was applied on knowledge scores. A total of 81% (n = 138) of the participants completed both tests.
ResultsThere was a small but significant decline in first and second test results for both groups (F(1, 135) = 18.154, p = 0.00). However, no significant differences in short-term and long-term knowledge retention were observed between the two teaching methods. The Virtual Patient group reported higher learning experience levels in engagement, stimulation, general perception, and expectations.
ConclusionsParticipants’ levels engagement were reported in favor of the VP format. Similar knowledge retention was achieved through either a Virtual Patient or a recorded lecture.
Background: With an increasing and aging population, there is a global demand for improving the primary prevention strategies aimed at reducing traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). The objective of the present epidemiological study was to evaluate the pattern of TBI in Sweden over a 24 years period (1987-2010). Methods: The Swedish Hospital Discharge Register was used, where in-patient care with a main diagnosis of TBI according to ICD9/10 was included. External factors, age and gender distribution was evaluated. Results: A decreasing number of annual incidence was observed, that is, from 230 to 156 per 100,000 inhabitants. A steady decrease of concussion was observed while other intracranial injuries increased especially traumatic subdural hemorrhage and subarachnoid hemorrhage. The study identified 3 groups of patients - young, adults and elderly. The highest incidence and the largest increase of incidence were seen in the oldest age group (85+ years) while the population under 65 years had a decreasing incidence of TBI. The most frequent etiology was fall accidents (57%) with a relative constant trend over the study period. Conclusions: More effort should be focused on different strategies for different age groups, especially the elderly group. A well-planned strategy for primary prevention guidelines for different age groups will have the chance to further reduce not only the health-care costs but also complications among elderly care.
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