1

Vehicle CrashesSuicides Falls Drownings Youth Violence Homicides Sports InjuriesBullying These are a few examples of a growing area in public health… Injuries. 2

Due to extensive research by SOPHE, (Unintentional Injury/Violence Prevention) *It has been proven that All injuries are preventable Injuries are not accidents Injuries do not occur at random *Everything you do has a risk factor attached to it. The higher the risk factor, the higher the injury chance! 3

Life contains risks Part of becoming an adult is learning to be aware of risks and weighing the possible consequences of taking risks and then making healthy choices. It is important to consider and be willing to accept the consequences of high risk behavior. 4

What is the Cost of Injuries? Injuries take a major toll, not only to an individual, but also to the society. Injuries can impair overall health -causing life-long disabilities, -psychological effects -detriment to a person’s overall well being. Monetary costs arise from medical expenses, police & fire services, property damage, and wage losses. 5

Intentional Injuries *Are not accidents – they can be prevented. *Injuries are not random, uncontrollable events, but rather predictable and preventable incidences with identifiable causes. *Of the 3,178 injury deaths in Minnesota in 2013, 70% were due to "unintentional" injury and 30% were due to violence, or "intentional" injury. Injuries affect everyone.. 6

Intentional injuries Are something you do with the purpose of hurting yourself or others. These are planned actions. Examples of intentional injuries include the following: -Partner/Domestic Violence -Homicide -Sexual Assault/Rape -Suicide -Youth Violence 7

STATISTICS ON ACCIDENTS OR UNINTENTIONAL INJURIES /CDC/2012 Health Care Use – 28.4 million # of emergency dept visits in 2012 Mortality (All unintentional injury deaths – 123,706), 41 per 100,000 population. Unintentional falls deaths (number of deaths – 22,631), 7.5 per 100,000 population Motor vehicle traffic deaths (number of deaths – 42,031), 13.1 per 100,000 population Unintentional poisoning deaths (number of deaths – 29,846), 9.9 per 100,000 population 8

Unintentional Injuries a. formerly called “accidents” b. leading cause of death and disability for children, teens, and young adults c. Unint. Injuries can be prevented *There are five major categories of unintentional injuries 9

1. MOTOR VEHICLE CRASHES 75% of the crashes occur within 25 miles of home at speeds less than 40 miles per hour (mph) Teens only represent 7% of all licensed drivers nation-wide Teens are involved in 15% of all fatal crashes 10

Reasons for Car Crashes Most car crashes are a result of human error like… Driver inexperience is the most common reason for car crashes Excessive speed is a factor in about 2/3rds of all crashes and injuries Aggressive driving incidents have increased about 7% per year since

Driver distraction can be caused by fatigue, cell phones, passengers, eating, make-up, pets, changing a CD, etc. Cell phones are blames for % of accidents. Studies have shown no difference in response time between a cell or hands free cell use. Alcohol & other drugs. Alcohol used to represent 50% of deaths from accidents in 1989 but now represents 38%. 12

13 Use/nonuse of safety equipment like seat belts, mirrors, airbags, etc Motorcycles cause 1 in 10 traffic fatalities among those who are years old. Motorcycles are hard to see so being visible is crucial. Taking a class in motorcycle safety training can alert you to important safety precautions

Bicycles are included in motor vehicle crash statistics because they are considered to be moving vehicles. Always wear a bicycle helmet. It is estimated that wearing a helmet reduces the risk of death by 85%. 14

2. INJURIES IN THE HOME National Safety Council reports one (1) fatal injury every 18 minutes and one disabling injury every 4 seconds in homes. They include: a. falls - tripping and slipping b. fires – 1 death every 2 hours; smoke inhalation kills more often than burns best prevention? Smoke detectors and also having a plan of escape. 15

c. poisonings – caused by household products, plants, & medicines. Call POISON CONTROL CENTER for best advice on treating. d. suffocation & choking 50% of deaths involve children; common causes are loose bedding, plastic bags, & window blind cords. Food and small objects can obstruct the airway. 16

3. FIREARMS – children and even teens are killed with guns they do not know are loaded. Never assume a gun is safe. 17

4.WORK RELATED INJURIES: frequently the result of: 1. lack of training 2. poor worker attitudes 3. stress & fatigue 18

5. RECREATIONAL INJURIES Four ways to prevent? a. Wear safety and protective gear b. Use gear properly & consistently. c. avoid use of drugs and alcohol. d. be aware of your actions. 19

so remember, be healthy and be safe! 20

21 Your Assignment (Write on the end of your notes) 1.Write about the worst Unintentional Injury you ever had. -Include where you were, what happened, your age, part of body injured and treatment received. 2. Write about the worst Intentional Injury you ever had. -Include where you were, what happened, your age, part of body injured and treatment.