Justifying the need for a recovery related surveillance system: Exploratory focused interviews.

Background And Aims: No recovery related surveillance system exists but given the evidence of effectiveness and growing supply, a house- and resident- level recovery house (RH) surveillance system could be beneficial for data collection on recovery support service (RSS) engagement, and retention; for improved standardization of RH programs and services; and for identification of outcomes associated with long-term recovery.

Methods: This study aimed to explore current data collection practices at the resident- and house- level through qualitative focus interviews of RH representatives. The 13 RH interviews were scheduled with 16 RH representative respondents.

Interrupted time series analysis of drug overdose fatalities in service-related industries versus non-service-related industries during the COVID-19 pandemic, 2018-2021.

Background: Variation among industries in the association between COVID-19-related closing or reopening orders and drug overdose deaths is unknown. The objectives of this study were to compare drug overdose decedent demographics, annual drug overdose fatality rates and monthly drug overdose fatality rates by specific industry within the service-related industry sector, and to perform an interrupted time series analysis comparing weekly drug overdose mortality counts in service-related and non-service-related industries, examining the COVID-19 pre-pandemic and pandemic phases by Kentucky closing and reopening orders.

Methods: Kentucky drug overdose death certificate and toxicology testing data for years 2018-2021 were analysed using Χ and interrupted time series methods.

Driver injuries in heavy vs. light and medium truck local crashes, 2010-2019.

Objective: Multiple heavy truck driver injury studies exist, but there is a paucity of research on light and medium truck driver injuries. The objective of this study was to use first report of injury (FROI) data to: (a) compare demographic and injury characteristics; (b) assess workers' compensation (WC) claim disposition and lost work time status; and (c) describe injury scenarios by vehicle type for heavy truck and light/medium truck driver local crashes.

Method: Kentucky Department of Workers' Claims FROI quantitative and free text data were analyzed for years 2010-2019.

Identification of work-related injury emergency department visits using International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM) codes.

Introduction: Emergency department (ED) visit discharge data are a less explored population-based data source used to identify work-related injuries. When using discharge data, work-relatedness is often determined by the expected payer of workers' compensation (WC). In October 2015, healthcare discharge data coding systems transitioned to the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM).

ICD-10-CM-Based Definitions for Emergency Department Opioid Poisoning Surveillance: Electronic Health Record Case Confirmation Study.

Objectives: Valid opioid poisoning morbidity definitions are essential to the accuracy of national surveillance. The goal of our study was to estimate the positive predictive value (PPV) of case definitions identifying emergency department (ED) visits for heroin or other opioid poisonings, using billing records with (ICD-10-CM) codes.

Methods: We examined billing records for ED visits from 4 health care networks (12 EDs) from October 2015 through December 2016.

Motor vehicle towing: An analysis of injuries in a high-risk yet understudied industry.

Objectives: National fatality rates for commercial tow truck operators exceed those of other first responders who also perform traffic incident management services. The objectives of the current study are to (1) characterize causal factors associated with injuries among commercial tow truck operators engaged in roadside assistance through analysis of coded and free text data obtained from U.S.

Enhancing timeliness of drug overdose mortality surveillance: A machine learning approach.

Background: Timely data is key to effective public health responses to epidemics. Drug overdose deaths are identified in surveillance systems through ICD-10 codes present on death certificates. ICD-10 coding takes time, but free-text information is available on death certificates prior to ICD-10 coding.

Methodological Complexities in Quantifying Rates of Fatal Opioid-Related Overdose.

Purpose Of Review: Effective responses to the US opioid overdose epidemic rely on accurate and timely drug overdose mortality data, which are generated from medicolegal death investigations (MDI) and certifications of overdose deaths. We identify nuances of MDI and certification of overdose deaths that can influence drug overdose mortality surveillance, as well as recent research, recommendations, and epidemiological tools for improved identification and quantification of specific drug involvement in overdose mortality.

Recent Findings: Death certificates are the foundation of drug overdose mortality surveillance.

Impact of a Drug Overdose Decedent Toxicology Testing Legislative Mandate on Informing Coroner Death Investigation and Certification Practices.

Objective: To (a) determine the impact of Kentucky's (KY's) mandate requiring postmortem toxicology testing of coroner cases; (b) identify the influence of coroner experience and training, jurisdiction size, budget, and location on postmortem testing requests; (c) identify facilitators/barriers for postmortem toxicology testing requests and listing the specific drugs involved in drug-poisoning deaths on death certificates.

Methods: A modified Dillman approach was used to deliver the survey to KY's elected coroners between April and May 2016. Responses stratified by identified influence factors were compared using χ tests and Fisher exact tests.

Timely linkage of individuals to substance use disorder treatment: development, implementation, and evaluation of FindHelpNowKY.org.

Background: Substance use disorders (SUD) have steadily increased over the last two decades. Seeking SUD treatment involves searching SUD treatment facility types (inpatient, outpatient and intensive outpatient, residential and family residential, and detoxification facilities) that offer specialized SUD treatment depending on individual needs and preferences. Referrals to SUD treatment require innovative strategies that rapidly link individuals to SUD treatment when they are at the critical stage of readiness.

Interrupted time series design to evaluate the effect of the ICD-9-CM to ICD-10-CM coding transition on injury hospitalization trends.

Background: Implementation of the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-10-CM) in the U.S. on October 1, 2015 was a significant policy change with the potential to affect established injury morbidity trends.

Prevalence of gabapentin in drug overdose postmortem toxicology testing results.

Background: The goal of this study was to establish and compare baseline data on the prevalence of gabapentin identified through postmortem toxicology testing among drug overdose decedents in several geographically diverse states/jurisdictions with differing levels of drug overdose fatality burdens in 2015.

Methods: Death certificates and postmortem toxicology result reports from five U.S.

Association between commercial vehicle driver at-fault crashes involving sleepiness/fatigue and proximity to rest areas and truck stops.

Introduction: There is ongoing concern at the national level about the availability of adequate commercial vehicle rest areas and truck stops for commercial vehicle drivers to rest or to wait for a delivery window.

Methods: A retrospective case-control study was conducted to determine the association between the occurrence of sleepiness/fatigue-related (cases) vs. all other human factor-related commercial vehicle driver at-fault crashes (controls) and proximity to rest areas, weigh stations with rest havens, and truck stops.

Establishment of a comprehensive drug overdose fatality surveillance system in Kentucky to inform drug overdose prevention policies, interventions and best practices.

Background: According to the National Center for Health Statistics, Kentucky had the third highest drug overdose fatality rate in the nation in 2015 at 29.9 drug overdose fatalities per 100 000 population.

Objective: The elevated drug overdose fatality rate necessitated the development and implementation of a comprehensive multisource drug overdose fatality surveillance system (DOFSS).

Heroin and fentanyl overdoses in Kentucky: Epidemiology and surveillance.

Background: The study aims to describe recent changes in Kentucky's drug overdose trends related to increased heroin and fentanyl involvement, and to discuss future directions for improved drug overdose surveillance.

Methods: The study used multiple data sources (death certificates, postmortem toxicology results, emergency department [ED] records, law enforcement drug submissions, and prescription drug monitoring records) to describe temporal, geographic, and demographic changes in drug overdoses in Kentucky.

Results: Fentanyl- and heroin-related overdose death rates increased across all age groups from years 2011 to 2015 with the highest rates consistently among 25-34-year-olds.

Characterization of Foreign-Born vs. Native-Born Worker Fatalities in Kentucky, 2001-2014.

Information on foreign-born worker (FBW) and native-born worker (NBW) fatal injuries is scarce. The Kentucky Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation program analyzed 2001-2014 worker fatality data. The Kentucky FBW fatality rate was double the US FBW and NBW rates, and 50% higher than the Kentucky NBW fatality rate.

Healthcare Industry Injuries by Patient Contact Status in Kentucky, 2012-2014.

Objectives: The healthcare industry continues to have a high number of reported injuries. The purpose of this study was to characterize healthcare industry injuries by patient contact status, identify the occupations associated with healthcare injuries by patient contact status, and determine healthcare injury rates by occupation to gain a better understanding of healthcare industry-compensated injuries and better target safety practices and programs in the healthcare industry.

Methods: Kentucky healthcare industry workers' compensation first reports of injuries from calendar years 2012-2014 were categorized into injuries involved in direct patient contact versus injuries without direct patient contact using narrative text analysis.

Narrative and quantitative analyses of workers' compensation-covered injuries in short-haul vs. long-haul trucking.

Trucking remains one of the most dangerous industries in the U.S. Study aims were to (1) identify differences in worker injury types; (2) describer typical injury scenarios; and (3) recommend injury control measures, in short-haul vs.

Newborn Congenital Malformations Associated With Prenatal Exposure to Drugs in Kentucky, 2009-2013.

Objectives: This study examined associations between prenatal drug exposures and congenital organ system malformation diagnoses in newborns (at birth) and infants (hospitalizations after birth up to 30 days of age) in Kentucky.

Methods: Data were obtained from Kentucky inpatient hospitalization records for newborns and for infants from 2009 to 2013. Prenatal drug exposures and congenital anomalies were identified using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification codes for prenatal drug exposures (760.

Patterns of pneumoconiosis mortality in Kentucky: Analysis of death certificate data.

Background: Mortality rates associated with total pneumoconiosis, including coal worker's pneumoconiosis (CWP), have remained elevated.

Methods: 2003-2013 pneumoconiosis mortality data obtained from National Center for Health Statistics and 2011-2013 Kentucky death certificates were analyzed.

Results: Total pneumoconiosis mortality rates showed significant linear decreases in West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, and the U.

Work-related concussion surveillance.

Background: The goal of this study was to use multiple state-based data sources (emergency department [ED] visits, hospital discharge [HD] data, and workers' compensation [WC] data) to estimate the 2011 work-related concussion injury rate in Kentucky.

Methods: Deterministic data linkages between the 2011 WC data and ED/HD data were performed. Annual crude rates of work-related concussions per 100,000 employed civilians age 16 years or older were reported.

Drug overdose surveillance using hospital discharge data.

Objectives: We compared three methods for identifying drug overdose cases in inpatient hospital discharge data on their ability to classify drug overdoses by intent and drug type(s) involved.

Methods: We compared three International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification code-based case definitions using Kentucky hospital discharge data for 2000-2011. The first definition (Definition 1) was based on the external-cause-of-injury (E-code) matrix.

Work-related injuries in a state trauma registry: relationship between industry and drug screening.

Background: Work-related injuries exert a great financial and economic burden on the US population. The study objectives were to identify the industries and occupations associated with worker injuries and to determine the predictors for injured worker drug screening in trauma centers.

Methods: Work-related injury cases were selected using three criteria (expected payer source of workers' compensation, industry-related e-codes, and work-related indicator) from the Kentucky Trauma Registry data set for years 2008 to 2012.

Multiple jobholder mortality patterns in Kentucky: an examination of occupational fatalities.

Background: The percentage of multiple jobholders was elevated in Kentucky compared to the US from 2002 to 2010.

Methods: Kentucky Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) multiple jobholder fatality data were analyzed to identify contributing injury factors from 2002 to 2010.

Results: Kentucky's total occupational fatality rates were higher than US rates for all years (2002-2010).