Prevention of death and disability from injuries to children and adolescents

Abstract

One million children and adolescents die each year from injuries and many-fold more suffer long-term disability. While there have been substantial reductions in injury mortality over the last 50 years, further decreases in morbidity and mortality will require consideration of additional factors. This article discusses five different components to further reduce the injury burden: consideration of the epidemiologic transition occurring in both high-income as well as low- and middle-income countries; expanding the concept of injury prevention to that of injury control, with substantial emphasis on acute care and rehabilitation of the injured child; inclusion of adolescents in paediatric injury control; improving the quality of research conducted; and changing the way priorities are determined in the injury field.