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A national survey of clinical practice for the management of whiplash-associated disorders in UK emergency departments
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Lamb, S. E. (Sallie E.), Williams, Mark A., Withers, Emma J., Perry, Joanna, Gates, Simon, Williamson, Esther M., Underwood, Martin and Cooke, Matthew (Professor of clinical systems design) (2009) A national survey of clinical practice for the management of whiplash-associated disorders in UK emergency departments. Emergency Medicine Journal, Vol.26 (No.9). pp. 644-647. doi:10.1136/emj.2008.065276 ISSN 1472-0205.
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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/emj.2008.065276
Abstract
Objective: To undertake a national survey to determine current practice for the management of whiplash injuries in UK emergency departments (ED).
Methods: Postal questionnaire survey. 316 lead consultants from all UK ED with annual new attendances of over 50 000 people were asked to indicate the use of a range of treatments and the frequency with which these treatments were used. Samples of written advice were requested and content analysis was conducted and compared with survey responses.
Results: The response rate was 79% (251/316). The intervention most frequently used was verbal advice to exercise, reported by 84% of respondents for most or all cases, and advice against the use of a collar (83%). Other treatments reported as being used frequently were written advice and anti-inflammatory medication. 106 consultants (42%) provided a sample of written materials. Reference to expected recovery and encouragement for early return to activities were included in less than 6%. Nearly 50% of written materials contained information on how to use a soft collar and 61% contained information on solicitors and pursuing a personal injury claim. There were important differences between reported verbal behaviours and written advice.
Conclusion: Verbal advice is the primary method for managing whiplash injuries in ED and is usually supplemented by written advice. Within individual hospitals there is a lack of consistency between verbal and written advice. The promotion of personal injury claims is a common feature of written advice. Research is required to develop effective and consistent models of advice.
Item Type: | Journal Article | ||||
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Subjects: | R Medicine > R Medicine (General) | ||||
Divisions: | Faculty of Science, Engineering and Medicine > Medicine > Warwick Medical School > Health Sciences Faculty of Science, Engineering and Medicine > Medicine > Warwick Medical School |
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Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH): | Whiplash injuries -- Great Britain, Emergency medical services -- Great Britain, Medical care surveys -- Great Britain, Neck -- Wounds and injuries -- Treatment | ||||
Journal or Publication Title: | Emergency Medicine Journal | ||||
Publisher: | BMJ Group | ||||
ISSN: | 1472-0205 | ||||
Official Date: | September 2009 | ||||
Dates: |
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Volume: | Vol.26 | ||||
Number: | No.9 | ||||
Number of Pages: | 4 | ||||
Page Range: | pp. 644-647 | ||||
DOI: | 10.1136/emj.2008.065276 | ||||
Status: | Peer Reviewed | ||||
Publication Status: | Published | ||||
Access rights to Published version: | Restricted or Subscription Access | ||||
Funder: | NHS R & D HTA Programme (Great Britain) (HTA) | ||||
Grant number: | ISRCTN33302125 (HTA) |
Data sourced from Thomson Reuters' Web of Knowledge
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