Injury Prevention and Control

1. Injury Prevention and Control Daisy Bates, Shaylin Durban and Jack Laker

2. Injuries • The term injury relates to the adverse effects on the human body that may result from a range of different events. • Injuries may be accidental such as falls, poisoning, drowning, workplace injuries, car crashes or even sporting injuries. • Injuries could also be intentional such as suicide, attempted suicide and violence.

3. Reasons for selection • Injuries were responsible for about 7% of burden of disease in DALY’s in Australia in 2003 • 6.1% of all deaths in Australia in 2008 were injury related • Injury was the main cause of death for people under the age of 45 • All injury cases are considered to be preventable

4. Direct costs associated with injuries • Hospital and rehabilitation costs contribute significantly to the direct costs of injuries. • Surgery may be required, medication to assist pain and physiotherapy may be required to regain mobility, which are all direct costs related to injuries.

5. Indirect costs associated with injuries • Long term care, people may require ongoing care to assist with everyday tasks. • Lost productivity, people who have disabilities may not be able to join the workforce. • Payment for services, may have to employ people to perform simple tasks that they may not be able to. • Transport costs, if injured, the individual may have to pay for someone to drive them.

6. Intangible costs associated with injuries • The pain and suffering associated with the accident • The frustration associated with rehabilitation • Feelings of loneliness and loss of self-esteem, if the injured person is no longer able to participate in activities they once did

7. Biological determinants acting as risk factors for injuries • Things such as age, body shape and size can influence the types of injuries people are more likely to sustain. • For example, the body shape and size of an infant makes them more likely to drown as their heads are large compared to the rest of their body.

8. Behavioural determinants acting as risk factors for injuries • Alcohol use, people who are affected by alcohol will often take unnecessary risks that can result in higher injury rates. For example, drink driving • Drug use leads to higher rates of mental illness which may lead to higher suicide and violence rates • Physical activity, people who participate in contact sports may have a higher risk of sport related injuries • Risk taking behaviour, men are more likely to take risks, therefore have higher rates of injury

9. Social determinants acting as risk factors for injuries • Work, people with physically demanding jobs will have higher injury rates • Housing, unsafe houses may contribute to the increased number of falls and injuries • Transport, motorbike riders have a higher chance of being killed on the road than car drivers and cyclists and pedestrians do not the protection of the safety features found in cars so they are more likely to sustain serious injuries

10. The Kidsafe Campaign • It was established in 1979 • A not-for-profit, non-government charitable organisation • The foundation works to prevent unintentional death and injury to children under the age of 15 • Kidsafe works on national, state and regional bases with other key stakeholders including government, schools, industry workers, hospitals, media, community groups, voluntary organisations and individuals • Collaborating with others means that Kidsafe is able to provide resources to raise awareness of injury prevention throughout the community. • These resources include: • Injury prevention programs and services • Media campaigns • Educational resources

11. Worksafe • The aim of this new campaign is to challenge people to stop and think about safety in their workplace and what’s really at risk if they’re injured or killed at work. • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Ekaig2pJAob