Alcohol and drugs in drivers fatally injured in traffic accidents in Sweden during the years 2000-2002

During the years 2000-2002, alcohol, pharmaceuticals and illicit drugs were analysed in blood samples from fatally injured drivers in Sweden. The total number of drivers was 920 and in 855 of these, corresponding to 93%, a toxicological investigation was performed. About 85% of the drivers were men and 15% were women. All but three women (96%) were car drivers while the corresponding figure for men was about 78% and about 13% were motorcyclists. The number of positive cases increased from 38.9% in year 2000 to 45.9% in year 2002 and alcohol was the most common drug with frequencies of 19.8%, 25.0% and 21.8% for the studied years 2000, 2001 and 2002, respectively. The median blood alcohol concentration ranged from 1.6 to 2.0mg/mL for men and from 1.2 to 1.8 mg/mL for women. There was a decrease in cases where alcohol was the only drug detected, from 52 out of 58 cases (90%) in year 2000 to 41 out of 61 cases (67%) in 2002. At the same time there was an increase, from 5.4% to 10.0% of illicit drugs, mainly amphetamine, and the cases with multiple drug intake increased from 10% to 26%. The prevalence of pharmaceuticals as the only drug or drugs detected decreased from 14.0% to 10.4% and in the majority of these cases the drug concentrations were within the therapeutic range.     

Fostering agency and wellbeing in women: an evaluation of the IMAGINE Initiative

There is growing evidence that fostering individual agency for women is important for effective economic development and well-being. This article assesses the outcomes of the IMAGINE Initiative in Kenya, a programme intended to empower individuals through a four-day interactive workshop. Routine de-identified programme data from 213 individuals who applied to participate were used. Data included socio-demographic measures, psychometric scales, and interviews of changes in education, health, economics, and relationships. Programmatic data showed significant changes in the level of intrinsic motivation and agency for those who underwent the training and as well as substantial behavioural changes in core areas of their lives.