Motor vehicle-related injuries are a leading cause of injury death in China. However, little is known about their causes and long-term consequences. This presentation outlines the development of a proposal to conduct a case-control and subsequent cohort study to address this lack of information. An international collaborative group was established, involving Australian and Chinese researchers, local hospitals, other health authorities and the police. A draft proposal was prepared for review. The feasibility of case and control recruitment and follow-up was assessed. A draft questionnaire was pre-tested and procedures for the collection of alcohol measures were explored. Over a two year period, commencing in mid 2001, 1000 drivers of motor vehicles in which one or more individuals are hospitalised or killed, will be recruited through 11 hospitals in the city of Shenyang. Concurrently, 1000 drivers of motor vehicles being driven on the city roads will be randomly stopped and recruited. Information will be obtained on potential driver, vehicle and road environmental risk factors. Both case and control drivers will then be followed-up at 4 and 14 months to identify any longer-term consequences. The conclusion of this paper is that it is feasible to undertake a major collaborative study of motor vehicle crashes in China. (Author/publisher) For the covering entry of this conference, please see ITRD abstract no. E202589.
Abstract