Methodology of AA CRASH: a prospective observational study evaluating the incidence and pathogenesis of adverse post-traumatic sequelae in African-Americans experiencing motor vehicle collision.
A motor vehicle collision (MVC) is one of the most common life-threatening events experienced by individuals living in the USA. While most individuals recover following MVC, a significant proportion of individuals develop adverse post-traumatic sequelae such as post-traumatic stress disorder or persistent musculoskeletal pain. Adverse post-traumatic sequelae are common, morbid and costly public health problems in the USA and other industrialised countries. The pathogenesis of these disorders following MVC remains poorly understood. In the USA, available data suggest that African-Americans experience an increased burden of adverse post-traumatic sequelae after MVC compared to European Americans, but to date no studies examining the pathogenesis of these disorders among African-Americans experiencing MVC have been performed.



The African-American CRASH (AA CRASH) study is an NIH-funded, multicentre, prospective study that enrols African-Americans (n=900) who present to the emergency department (ED) within 24 hours of MVC. Participants are enrolled at 13 ED sites in the USA. Individuals who are admitted to the hospital or who report a fracture or tissue injury are excluded. Participants complete a detailed ED interview that includes an assessment of crash history, current post-traumatic symptoms and health status prior to the MVC. Blood samples are also collected in the ED using PAXgene DNA and PAXgene RNA tubes. Serial mixed-mode assessments 6 weeks, 6 months and 1 year after MVC include an assessment of adverse sequelae, general health status and health service utilisation. The results from this study will provide insights into the incidence and pathogenesis of persistent pain and other post-traumatic sequelae in African-Americans experiencing MVC.



AA CRASH has ethics approval in the USA, and the results will be published in a peer-reviewed journal.
TRYUMPH Research Program Department of Anesthesiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
Sarah D
SD
Linnstaedt
TRYUMPH Research Program Department of Anesthesiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
JunMei
J
Hu
TRYUMPH Research Program Department of Anesthesiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
Andrea Y
AY
Liu
TRYUMPH Research Program Department of Anesthesiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
April C
AC
Soward
Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA Department of Sociology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
Kenneth A
KA
Bollen
Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA.
Henry E
HE
Wang
Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Florida College of Medicine, Jacksonville, Florida, USA.
Phyllis L
PL
Hendry
Department of Emergency Medicine, Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, Michigan, USA.
Erin
E
Zimny
Department of Emergency Medicine, Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, Michigan, USA.
Christopher
C
Lewandowski
Department of Emergency Medicine, Sinai Grace Hospital, Detroit, Michigan, USA.
Marc-Anthony
MA
Velilla
Department of Emergency Medicine, Albert Einstein Medical Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
Kathia
K
Damiron
Department of Emergency Medicine, Detroit Receiving, Detroit, Michigan, USA.
Claire
C
Pearson
Department of Emergency Medicine, St Joseph Mercy Health System, Ypsilanti, Michigan, USA.
Robert
R
Domeier
Department of Emergency Medicine, MedStar Washington Hospital Center, Washington District of Columbia, USA.
Sangeeta
S
Kaushik
Department of Emergency Medicine, Boston Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
James
J
Feldman
Department of Emergency Medicine, St Joseph's Regional Medical Center, Paterson, New Jersey, USA.
Mark
M
Rosenberg
Department of Emergency Medicine, Spectrum Health Butterworth Campus, Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA.
Jeffrey
J
Jones
Department of Emergency Medicine, William Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak, Massachusetts, USA.
Robert
R
Swor
Department of Emergency Medicine, Baystate Health, Springfield, Massachusetts, USA.
Niels
N
Rathlev
TRYUMPH Research Program Department of Anesthesiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA Department of Emergency Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
Samuel A
SA
McLean
D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D059352:Musculoskeletal Pain / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000209:etiology; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000208:ethnology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012107:Research Design; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000209:etiology; D013997:Time Factors; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult
ACCIDENT & EMERGENCY MEDICINE; EPIDEMIOLOGY