Joyce M. Mercier

AGE AND GENDER AS PREDICTORS OF INJURY SEVERITY IN HEAD-ON HIGHWAY VEHICULAR COLLISIONS

Whether age or gender or both influenced severity of injuries suffered in head-on automobile collisions on rural highways was assessed. The initial hypothesis was that, because of physiological changes, and possibly other changes related to aging (including loss of bone density), older drivers and passengers would suffer more severe injuries when involved in head-on collisions. Results of logistic regression analysis indicate that four separate factors, incorporating 14 individual and interactive variables, were strongly related to injury severity. Individual variables included age of driver or passenger (either linear or quadratic), position in the vehicle, and form of protection used, along with a set of interactive variables (such as age and position). The importance of age-related effects in injury severity is verified by hierarchical and principal components logistic regression models, amplifying findings of exploratory stepwise logistic analysis. Variations in findings resulted when the population was divided by gender. Although age remained a very important factor in predicting injury severity for both men and women, use of lap and shoulder restraints appeared to be more beneficial for men than for women, while deployed air bags seemed more beneficial for women than for men.

Age and Gender as Predictors of Injury Severity in Broadside and Angle Vehicular Collisions

Is age a factor in injury severity in the occurrence of broadside and angle collisions of automobiles on rural highways? The primary hypothesis is that older drivers and passengers would suffer more severe injuries than younger adults when involved in these types of collisions. Injury severity was chosen as the dependent variable, with nine independent or interaction variables tested. Independent variables were selected if they improved the model significantly, at a significance level of p < .05. Relationships were verified using Hierarchical Regression Analysis and Principal Components Regression. Findings varied, depending on the point-of-impact examined and the vehicle occupant gender. Age (linear and quadratic) proved to be a significant predictor of injury severity for all, but it was slightly greater for females than for males. Use of lap and shoulder restraints proved to reduce injury severity, but results are less certain for women. Air bags deployed were significant predictors when the vehicle was struck in the rear third, but only for females. One of the study’s surprises was the lack of strength of the variable of occupant position relative to the point-of-impact, except as part of interaction variables with age—both linear and quadratic. Position refers to the location of the occupant relative to the point-of-impact, with the position furthest from impact presumed as being the safest.

Treating Chemical Dependency: The Need for Including the Family

Regression analysis was used to test Family Systems Therapy as a fruitful approach in chemical dependency treatment. Results indicate that the concerned persons perceptions of family life are critical in determining whether a family completes therapy or terminates early. Using both family and individual level variables, the significance and direction of the coefficients are consistent with the Family Systems Therapy model. Results support the importance of including the family in chemical dependency treatment.

PERSONALITY STRUCTURE OF ELDERLY DRIVERS

This paper reports the factor structure of a 37-item personality questionnaire intended to be predictive of driving performance in elderly persons. Subjects were 191 persons 63 years of age or older, about half of whom also were given perceptual/cognitive tasks and drove on a closed driving course. Although the personality questionnaire did not predict driving skill, the factor structure of the questionnaire is of interest. Of several factor analyses, the most satisfactory was a 2-factor solution. We interpreted the approximately orthogonal factors as measuring what we labeled Competence and Emotionality.

The family and friends of rural aged as a natural support system

The literature on natural support systems of rural aged is examined from the perspective of functional specificity. Although family and friends are prominent in the support systems of both rural and urban aged, there are differences in support systems. Further, rural aged have more transportation, housing, and health problems than do urban aged. A number of program recommendations are made that will benefit rural as well as urban aged as future resource availability declines.

Quality of adult child-aging parent relationships: a structural equations approach using merged cross-generational data

In a study of the attachment bond, determinants of the quality of the adult child-aging parent relationship are analyzed from the childs perspective for 180 adult child-aging parent pairs. Structural equation models are estimated for thefull sample andfor parent-child pairs living more than 60 miles apart and within 60 miles of each other. In the full sample, quality of the adult child-elderly parent relationship is enhanced by greater frequency of intergenerational interaction; a stronger sense of filial obligation; adult children who are married, have less education, and are in better health; smaller sibling unit size; only-child status; and parents who are married, older, and are in better health. Different predictors are significant in thefull-sample, near-proximity, andfar-proximity models, but the direction of significant effects is consistent across equations.

Sense of Control Among Women Religious

ABSTRACT Sense of control was examined in a congregation of Catholic sisters ranging in age from 33 to 90. The sample size was 377. Age, educational level, career orientation, retirement status, health, self-esteem, coping ability, and support systems best explained sense of control. The older Catholic sisters in the congregation who no longer worked and who had some health limitations had lower self-esteem and, as a result, lesser sense of control than sisters who still worked and had fewer health limitations. Suggestions are made regarding enhancement of feelings of control.