How to allocate resources between somatic maintenance and reproduction in a manner that maximizes inclusive fitness is a fundamental challenge for all organisms. Life history theory predicts that effort put into somatic maintenance (health) should vary with sex, mating and parenting status because men and women have different costs of reproduction, and because life transitions such as family fo...

INTRODUCTION Monitoring hospital mortality rates is widely recommended. However, the number of preventable deaths remains uncertain with estimates in England ranging from 840 to 40 000 per year, these being derived from studies that identified adverse events but not whether events contributed to death or shortened life expectancy of those affected. METHODS Retrospective case record reviews of...

Introduction: Monitoring hospital mortality rates is widely recommended. However, the number of preventable deaths remains uncertain with estimates in England ranging from 840 to 40 000 per year, these being derived from studies that identified adverse events but not whether events contributed to death or shortened life expectancy of those affected. Methods: Retrospective case record reviews of...

rhode islaNd is iN The midsT of a drug poisoNiNg epidemiC. Since 2005, the number of drug poisoning deaths has exceeded the number of motor vehicle accidents, falls, firearms, and fire death among adults <85 years of age. However, Rhode Island is not alone: 20 states now report similar statistics where drug poisonings dominate adult injury deaths. National survey data find that Rhode Island has...

BACKGROUND A systematic analysis of trauma deaths is a step towards trauma quality improvement in Indian hospitals. This study estimates the magnitude of preventable trauma deaths in five Indian hospitals, and uses a peer-review process to identify opportunities for improvement (OFI) in trauma care delivery. METHODS All trauma deaths that occurred within 30 days of hospitalization in five urb...

BACKGROUND As part of its contribution to the Global War on Terror and North Atlantic Treaty Organization's International Security Assistance Force, the Canadian Forces deployed to Kandahar, Afghanistan, in 2006. We have studied the causes of deaths sustained by the Canadian Forces during the first 28 months of this mission. The purpose of this study was to identify potential areas for improvin...