title: The emergency physician's role in injury prevention.
abstract: New Mexico's successful campaign in establishing seat belt legislation is described, as is a unique program of alcohol and substance abuse prevention based in the emergency department. Results of a local study investigating hospital and emergency department costs of victims injured in automobile crashes are presented. A strategy is proposed that encourages joint efforts to influence public opinion and awareness, support necessary legislation, develop epidemiologic and intervention research, and encourage emergency medicine practitioners to act as a clearing house for outreach and prevention activities.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family, Community, University of New Mexico, School of Medicine, Albuquerque.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bernstein
authors.forename: P B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Roth
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yeh
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Lefkowits
mesh_terms: D000437:Alcoholism / Q000517:prevention & control; D004635:Emergency Medicine; D006266:Health Education; D006801:Humans; D007878:Legislation as Topic; D009516:New Mexico; D010819:Physician's Role; D011639:Public Opinion; D012380:Role; D012622:Seat Belts; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000517:prevention & control; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000517:prevention & control*