Population-based estimates of whiplash injury using nass cds data - biomed 2009. Biomed Sci Instrum 2009;45:244-9
Date
04/17/2009Pubmed ID
19369770Abstract
Clinical investigations identified occupant-related factors that may predispose specific populations to increased whiplash injury susceptibility. However, clinical studies represent a specific patient population and are not representative of the population at large. The present objective was to analyze nationally-representative data to assess the association between gender and whiplash in motor vehicle rear-end impacts. A cohort of front-seat occupants in rear impacts (5-7 o'clock) from 1998-2007 were acquired using the National Automotive Sampling System (NASS) Crashworthiness Data System database. Outcome measure was "cervical spine strain" without fracture or dislocation, coded as 640278.1. Differences between injured population proportions were analyzed using Chi-Square test of independence. 1,973 rear impacts were selected, representing 936,439 weighted crashes from across the United States. Females accounted for 69% of the weighted whiplash injuries, and the proportion of females sustaining whiplash was 10% higher than males. Furthermore, gender was associated with acquiring whiplash in rear impacts (odds ratio for females: 2.16; 95% confidence interval: 1.5-3.1). Although NASS data is inherently weighted toward more severe impacts (i.e., tow-away collisions), this population-based study has demonstrated increased female susceptibility to whiplash injury. The importance of gender suggests that specific safety measures for female front-seat occupants should be addressed separately from males.
Author List
Storvik SG, Stemper BD, Yoganandan N, Pintar FAAuthors
Frank A. Pintar PhD Chair, Professor in the Biomedical Engineering department at Medical College of WisconsinBrian Stemper PhD Professor in the Biomedical Engineering department at Medical College of Wisconsin
Narayan Yoganandan PhD Professor in the Neurosurgery department at Medical College of Wisconsin