title: The impacts of injury at the individual, community and societal levels: a systematic meta-review.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Injury is a major public health problem. While the impacts of injury on the injured person are well documented, there is relatively little knowledge about the impacts of injury on those individuals and groups in the community connected to the injured person. This study seeks to describe this breadth of research using a meta-review methodology.
  
  
  METHODS
  Systematic meta-review.
  
  
  METHODS
  To gain a better understanding of the known impacts of injury on family, community and society, a systematic meta-review of injury outcomes research literature was conducted. Seventy-eight peer-reviewed published literature reviews were included in the meta-review.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of these, 70 reported outcomes at the level of the injured person including mortality, body functions, activity and participation limitations. Nine reviews reported impacts at the level of the community including impacts on family members, work colleagues and carers. Six studies reported impacts at the societal level including economic, health system and injury compensation system impacts.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In summary, the meta-review identified a substantial body of knowledge at the individual level outcomes of injury, and a relative lack of information regarding the community and societal impacts of injury. An injury outcome framework is proposed on the basis of the findings of the meta-review to guide future research activity, particularly with regard to injury outcome domains where there is currently limited evidence. A comprehensive framework that takes account of all levels of impact is necessary for effective policies, systems and strategies to support recovery following injury.
authors: Monash Injury Research Institute (MIRI), Building 70, Monash University, VIC 3800, Australia. Electronic address: sharon.newnam@monash.edu.
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Newnam
authors: Institute for Safety, Compensation and Recovery Research (ISCRR), Level 11, 499 St Kilda Rd, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia; School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Commercial Road, Prahran, VIC 3181, Australia. Electronic address: alex.collie@monash.edu.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Collie
authors: University of Melbourne, School of Health Sciences, 550 Swanston Street, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia. Electronic address: vogela@unimelb.edu.au.
authors: A P
authors: AP
authors: Vogel
authors: School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash University, Commercial Road, Prahran, VIC 3181, Australia. Electronic address: helen.keleher@monash.edu.
authors: H
authors: H
authors: Keleher
mesh_terms: D017281:Cost of Illness; D006801:Humans; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D014947:Wounds and Injuries
keywords: Injury outcomes; Meta-review; Public health policy