| June
is National Safety Month
Injuries are a leading cause of disability for people of all ages – and they are the leading cause of death for Americans ages 1 to 44. The good news is everyone can get involved to help prevent injuries. During National Safety Month, St. Mary’s Hospital would like to help reduce the risk of injuries by raising awareness. This June, we encourage you to learn more about important safety issues like prescription drug abuse, slips, trips, and falls and distracted driving. Prescription drug abuse: Prescription painkiller overdoses are a growing problem in the United States, especially among women. About 18 women die every day from a prescription painkiller overdose – more than 4 times as many as back in 1999. Ifyou take a medicine in a way that is different from what the doctor prescribed, it is called prescription drug abuse. It could be Taking a medicine that was prescribed for someone else Taking a larger dose than you are supposed to Taking the medicine in a different way than you are supposed to. This might be crushing tablets and then snorting or injecting them. Using the medicine for another purpose, such as getting high Abusing some prescription drugs can lead to addiction. These include narcotic painkillers, sedatives, tranquilizers, and stimulants. Every medicine has some risk of side effects. Doctors take this into account when prescribing medicines. People who abuse these drugs may not understand the risks. The medicines may not be safe for them, especially at higher doses or when taken with other medicines. Slips, trips, and falls: One in 3 older adults fall each year. Many falls lead to broken bones and other health problems. Most people have a friend or relative who has fallen, or maybe you’ve fallen yourself. Falls are the second-leading cause of unintentional death in homes and communities, resulting in more than 25,000 fatalities in 2009. The risk of falling, and fall-related problems, rises with age and is a serious issue in homes and communities. Take the time to remove slip, trip and fall hazards to keep your family safe. Common locations for falls: *Doorways *Ramps *Cluttered hallways *Areas with heavy traffic *Uneven surfaces *Areas prone to wetness or spills *Unguarded heights *Unstable work surfaces *Ladders *Stairs Fall prevention tips: *Secure electrical and phone cords out of traffic area *Remove small throw rugs or use non-skid mats to keep them from slipping *Remove tripping hazards (paper, boxes, toys, clothes, shoes) from stairs and walkways *Periodically check the condition of walkways and steps and repair damages immediately *Never stand on a chair, table or other surfaces on wheels *Clean up all spills immediately Distracted driving: doing other activities while driving – like texting or eating – increases your chance of crashing. Almost 1 in 5 crashes (18%) that injured someone involved distracted driving. Each day in the United States, more than 9 people are killed and more than 1,060 people are injured in crashes that are reported to involve a distracted driver. Distracted driving is driving while doing another activity that takes your attention away from driving. Distracted driving can increase the chance of a motor vehicle crashes. There are three main types of distraction: Visual: taking your eyes off the road; Manual: taking your hands off the wheel; and Cognitive: taking your mind off of driving Distracted driving activities include things like using a cell phone, texting, and eating. Using in-vehicle technologies (such as navigation systems) can also be sources of distraction. While any of these distractions can endanger the driver and others, texting while driving is especially dangerous because it combines all three types of distraction. You can make a difference. Do your best to help reduce the risk of these safety issues. |
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