The global burden of injuries

The traditional view of injuries as "accidents," or random events, has resu lted in the historical neglect of this area of public health, However, the most recent estimates show that injuries are among the leading causes of de ath and disability in the world. They affect all populations, regardless of age, sex, income, or geographic region. In 1998, about 5.8 million people (97.9 per 100000 population) died of injuries worldwide, and injuries cause d 16% of the global burden of disease. Road traffic injuries are the 10th leading cause of death and the 9th leadi ng cause of the burden of disease: self-inflicted injuries, falls, and inte rpersonal violence follow closely Injuries affect mostly young people, ofte n causing long-term disability. Decreasing the burden of injuries is among the,main challenges for public h ealth in the next century-injuries are preventable, and many effective stra tegies are available. Public health officials must gain a better understand ing of the magnitude and characteristics of the problem, contribute to the development and evaluation of injury prevention programs, and develop the b est possible prehospital acid hospital care and rehabilitation for injured persons.