Injuries are not accidents: towards a culture of prevention.
Injuries are the result of an acute exposure to exhort of energy or a consequence of a deficiency in a vital element that exceeds physiological thresholds resulting threatens life. They are classified as intentional or unintentional. Injuries are considered a global health issue because they cause more than 5 million deaths per year worldwide and they are an important contributor to the burden of disease, especially affecting people of low socioeconomic status in low- and middle-income countries. A common misconception exists where injuries are thought to be the same as accidents; however, accidents are largely used as chance events, without taken in consideration that all these are preventable. This review discusses injuries and accidents in the context of road traffic and emphasizes injuries as preventable events. An understanding of the essence of injuries enables the standardization of terminology in public use and facilitates the development of a culture of prevention among all of us.
Instituto Cisalva, School of Public Health, Universidad del Valle, Cali, Colombia.
Francisco Javier
FJ
Bonilla-Escobar
Instituto Cisalva, School of Public Health, Universidad del Valle, Cali, Colombia.
María Isabel
MI
Gutiérrez
D000056:Accident Prevention / Q000379:methods*; D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D009626:Terminology as Topic; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*
Injuries; accident prevention; traffic accidents; wounds and injuries