Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2016 Feb 12;12(2):96-106.
doi: 10.1177/1559827616629924. Print 2018 Mar.

Primary Care Opportunities to Prevent Unintentional Home Injuries: A Focus on Children and Older Adults

Eileen M McDonald  1 , Karin Mack  1 , Wendy C Shields  1 , Robin P Lee  1 , Andrea C Gielen  1
Affiliations

Primary Care Opportunities to Prevent Unintentional Home Injuries: A Focus on Children and Older Adults

Eileen M McDonald et al. Am J Lifestyle Med. .

Abstract

Unintentional injuries are a persistent public health problem in the United States. A new health care landscape has the potential to create a clinical environment that fosters greater involvement by health care providers in injury prevention. The aim of this article is to provide evidence supporting the need for engagement by primary care providers in unintentional home injury prevention along with examples of how this could be accomplished. We know a great deal about what population groups are at risk for certain types of injuries. We also know that many injuries can be prevented through policies, programs, and resources that ensure safe environments and promote safe behaviors. For example, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's STEADI (Stopping Elderly Accidents, Deaths, and Injuries) initiative comprises clinical decision support tools and educational materials for health care providers. Two effective interventions that have demonstrated a reduction in falls among children are the redesign of baby walkers (engineering) and the mandated use of window guards (enforcement). Primary care clinicians can play a key role in promoting their patient's safety. Taken collectively, a focused attention on preventing unintentional home injuries by primary care providers can contribute to the reduction of injuries and result in optimal health for all.

Keywords: accidents; falls; fires; injury prevention; poisoning.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
The Haddon Matrix applied to falls in the home among older adults.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Sleet DA, Ballesteros MF, Baldwin GT. Injuries: An Underrecognized Lifestyle Problem. Am J Lifestyle Med. 2010;4:8-15.
    1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. National vital statistics system: historical data, 1990-1998 deaths and death rates for the leading causes of death, 1900-1940. http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/mortality_historical_data.htm. Accessed May 31, 2015.
    1. Adams PF, Kirzinger WK, Martinez M. Summary health statistics for the U.S. population: National Health Interview Survey, 2012. Vital Health Stat 10. 2013;10(259):1-95. - PubMed
    1. US Department of Health and Human Services. Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE). Health insurance marketplaces 2015 open enrollment period: March enrollment report, p. 4 https://aspe.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/pdf/83656/ib_2015mar_enrollment.... Accessed January 28, 2016.
    1. Gardner HG; American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Injury, Violence, and Poison Prevention. Office-based counseling for unintentional injury prevention. Pediatrics. 2007;119:202-206. - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources