Chapter 15: Injuries as a Community and Public Health Problem

Injury

physical damage to the body resulting from mechanical, chemical, thermal, or other environemental energy

Unintentional injury

an injury that occurs without anyone intending that harm be done

Intentional Injury

an injury that is purposely inflicted, either by the victim or by another

Fatal injury

an injury that results in one or more deaths

disabling injury

an injury causing any restriction of normal activity beyond the day of the injury's occurence

injury prevention (control)

an organized effort to prevent injuries or to minimize their severity

unsafe act

any behavior that would increase the probability of an injury occuring

unsafe condition

any environmental factor or set of factors (physical or social) that would increase the probability of an injury occuring

hazard

an unsafe act or condition

model for unintentional injuries

the public health triangle (host, agent, and environment) modified to indicate energy as the causative agent of injuries

injury prevention education

the process of changing people's health-directed behavior so as to reduce unintentional injuries

regualtion

the enactment and enforcement of laws to control conduct

automatic (passive) protection

the modification of a product or environment so as to reduce unintentional injuries

litigation

the process of seeking justice through courts

family violence

the use of physical force by one family member against another,with the intent to hurt, injure, or cause death

child maltreatment

an act or failure to act as a parent, caretaker, or other person as defined under state law that results in physical abuse, neglect, medical neglect, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, or an act or failure to act that presents an imminent risk of serious harm

child abuse

the intentional physical, emotional, verbal, or sexual mistreatment of a minor

child neglect

the failure of a parent or guardian to care for or otherwise provide the necessary subsistence for a child

intimate partner violence (IPV)

physical, sexual, or psychological harm by a current or former partner or spouse, whether the couple is heterosexual or same-sex, and does not require initmacy

youth gang

an association of peers, bound by mutual interests and identifiable lines of authority, whose acts generally include illegal activity and control over a territory or an enterprise

In which are injuries costly to society?

injuries are costly in human suffering (physical and emotional harm) and economic loss (about $753 billion in US in 2011)

what are the leading types of unintentional injuries?

motor vehicle crashes, poisonings, falls, other (suffocation, drowning etc.)

why have the terms accident and safety lost favor with injury prevention personnel?

the word accident suggests a chance occurrence or a unpreventable mishap and the word safety is too vague

do hazards cause accidents?

no, they only increase the probability that an unintentional injury will occur

what type of injuries are most likely to occur in the home?

poisonings (bathroom and/or kitchen, falls (any room)

what is Hugh DeHaven's contribution to injury prevention and control?

built and implemented safety devices that reduce the force of impact on a body after a crash (seat belts, air bags etc)

what is John E. Gordon's contribution to injury prevention and control?

applied theories of epidemiology to analyze injures to learn about risk factors, susceptible populations and the distribution of injuries in populations

what is William Haddon, Jr's contribution to injury prevention?

considered the founding father of modern injury prevention research, developed ways to reduce unintentional highway injuries

what are the 3 tenants of the model of unintentional injuries?

energy, host, environment

how can energy cause unintentional injuries?

moving object strikes person (kinetic energy), burns (transfer of heat energy), electrocution (electrical energy)

what are the strategies for preventing unintentional injuries?

education, regulation, automatic protection and litigation

what are the cost of intentional injuries to society?

loss of life and productivity as well as economic loss to the community

what resources are available at the state and federal levels to help communities reduce the number and seriousness of injuries?

there are several state funded and federally funded programs aimed at preventing or reducing the number of seriousness of injuries such as the CDC and Department of Justice