Bureau of Labor Statistics' data show that the incidence rate of 15 workplace injuries and illnesses per 100 full-time nursing home workers is well above that for private industry as a whole. Back injuries are most frequently reported. Short tenure and high turnover are correlated with health and safety problems. (SK)

Presents results of a study of the physiological responses of uninjured runners to running on a treadmill and in water. Water running may lessen an injured athlete's rate of deconditioning, but indications are that the metabolic cost of water running is not significantly greater than that of treadmill running. (SM)

A model for evaluating traumatically brain-injured adults' competency to consent to rehabilitative interventions is presented. Assessment foci are capacity to understand and reason. Judgments regarding competency should be based on best observed performance under optimal conditions in a rehabilitative context that promotes patient self…

Presented are procedures for identifying important first aid skills, developing skill analyses, and teaching the skills. The procedures were successfully used to teach moderately mentally handicapped students to communicate an emergency, administer first aid for minor injuries, apply plastic bandages to minor injuries, and administer first aid for…

The effectiveness of knee braces in preventing knee injuries in football is inconclusive. This article reviews research from epidemiologic, cadaver, and surrogate studies; discusses reasons for conflicting study results, including research design problems; and describes alternative approaches that have been suggested. (IAH)

Medically treated unintentional injuries of children and adolescents were studied for one year in the clinic and the emergency room of a health maintenance organization. The highest rates of injury resulted from falls, recreational activities, and competitive sports. Restricted activity was needed for 55.9 per cent of the injuries. (VM)

The pain-control phase of a rehabilitation program may include flexion or extension exercises, lumbar mobilization, traction and selective injections. When the pain has been relieved, the patient advances to the training phase. (JD)

Fifty-three partner-abusive men, 45 maritally satisfied, and 32 maritally discordant, nonviolent men were evaluated for past history of head injury. Logistic regressions confirmed head injury was significant predictor of being a batterer. Implications of findings for both marital aggression and posthead injury rehabilitation are discussed. (Author)

Reports how often children are held hostage and the likelihood of their being physically harmed by the hostage taker. Forty percent of the negotiated hostage incidents involved child hostages. One percent resulted in serious physical injury and 1% resulted in death. Perpetrators were relatives in 85% of the incidents. (JBJ)

Using the Recognition Memory Test, Digit Span subtest of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised, and the Knox Cube Test as markers for malingered memory deficits was studied with 100 university students, federal inmates, and patients with head injuries. Malingerers performed more poorly than injured patients on all three tests. (SLD)

Describes how art therapy can benefit patients hospitalized due to severe burns, who suffer psychological as well as physical trauma. Outlines the psychological phases, identifies how burn patients typically experience their healing process, and discusses how art therapy can assist the patient at each stage of the recovery process. (JPS)

This article addresses the theoretical rationale for treatment of slow-to-recover (STR) head-injury survivors with sensory stimulation programs. Evidence from four areas (sensory deprivation, enriched environments, nervous system plasticity, and sensitive periods of neurodevelopment) suggests that sensory stimulation programs are potentially…

This article presents a family-centered perspective in rehabilitation of individuals with cognitive-communicative impairments following traumatic brain injury (TBI). The approach focuses on capacity rather than dysfunction in families and includes family members as collaborators in rehabilitation. Suggestions for understanding family responses to…

Evaluated efficacy of computer-assisted attention retraining program with 29 outpatients suffering moderate to severe traumatic brain injury. Subjects were randomly assigned to either retraining or to memory training program that served as control condition. Compared to controls, those subjects who received retraining improved significantly on…

Reviews California legislation related to work safety and injury prevention as they pertain to farmworkers. Describes types of work injuries and illnesses and supplies the state's statistics for their occurrence. Provides a source for identifying workplace hazards and devising safety measures and training programs. (KS)