title: The global burden of musculoskeletal injuries: challenges and solutions.
abstract: Musculoskeletal injuries are a major public health problem globally, contributing a large burden of disability and suffering. This burden could be considerably lowered by implementation of affordable and sustainable strategies to strengthen orthopaedic trauma care, especially in low- and middle-income countries. This article summarizes the global burden of musculoskeletal injuries and provides several examples of successful programs that have improved care of injuries in health facilities in low- and middle-income countries. Finally, it discusses WHO efforts to build on the country experiences and to make progress in lowering the burden of musculoskeletal injuries globally.
authors.affiliation: Department of Violence and Injury Prevention and Disability, WHO, 20 Avenue Appia, 1211, Geneva 27, Switzerland. mockc@who.int
authors.forename: Charles
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mock
authors.forename: Meena Nathan
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Cherian
mesh_terms: D017281:Cost of Illness; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003906:Developing Countries / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014943:Global Health; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006302:Health Services Research; D054625:Healthcare Disparities; D006801:Humans; D009141:Musculoskeletal System / Q000293:injuries*; D019637:Orthopedic Procedures / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D016730:Program Development; D015397:Program Evaluation; D014944:World Health Organization; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000191:economics / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*