Questions 

1. What is the Injury Prevention Program? 

2. What is meant by injury prevention? Accidents are accidents aren’t they? 

3. What effect would prevention of injury have? 

4. How many people are injured each year? 

5. How does Arizona compare with other states in injury rates? 

6. Where can I get more information? 

7. What can I do to help? 

What is the Injury Prevention Program?  

The Injury Prevention Program in Arizona is a systematic effort to reduce deaths and injuries from intentional and unintentional causes such as: motor vehicle crashes, poisoning, falls, drowning, shootings, burns, assault, and self harm. The program provides focus, works to reduce duplication of effort and seeks to improve the use of existing resources. The Injury Prevention Program is responsible for (1) identifying injury problems and the specific needs for injury prevention programs, policies and services within the state; (2) keeping abreast of developments within the field of injury prevention and sharing with others; (3) understanding where injury prevention fits into what other agencies are doing and serving as a coordinating force that brings different players to the table; (4) and building a solid constituency for injury prevention activities within the state. Arizona’s Injury Prevention Program is funded by a grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). 

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What is meant by injury prevention? Accidents are accidents aren’t they? 

Many seemingly accidental injuries could have been prevented by taking precautions, for example: driving more carefully, wearing seatbelts or helmets, making sure ladders are stable before climbing, keeping cords away from cribs, and installing fencing around swimming pools. Injury prevention teaches people to take precautions and avoid unnecessary risks, as well as to provides for safer vehicles and playgrounds, or enacts and enforces laws such as laws against drunk driving and laws requiring wearing a seatbelt. 

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What effect would prevention of injury have? 

Since injuries are a major cause of death among Arizonans between the ages of 1 and 44, reducing injuries would reduce a significant loss of life and loss of productivity. If a child dies at age 5, that is a loss of at least 60 years of productivity. Such costs run to billions of dollars nationwide. And among children under age 5, injuries are the leading cause of death. Motor vehicle crashes are a major problem in Arizona as in the rest of the US, but drowning, homicide or assault/abuse also account for a large number. Such injuries are felt disproportionately among younger males and minority ethnic groups.

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How many people are injured each year? 

In Arizona, in 2004, there were 2,641 deaths, 29,259 inpatient hospitalizations and 346,814 emergency room visits due to unintentional injuries, mostly from motor vehicle crashes. Injuries occur more commonly in younger ages and more males are injured than females (except for suicide in the 20-44 age group). Injuries account for nearly as many deaths as strokes and lung disease, which strike at older ages.

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How does Arizona compare with other states in injury rates? 

According to the latest comparison available, Arizona has the seventh highest age adjusted death rate due to injuries in the nation. Over the past decade, and particularly the past three years, there has been some reduction in drowning, fire, suicide among adolescents, and fall rates. However, homicide, suicide among older adults, and motor vehicle death rates seem to be increasing.

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Where can I get more information? 

The Arizona Department of Health Services website www.azdhs.gov has Arizona injury data. Look under “vital statistics, injury” within the website. 

On the ADHS website Arizona Injury Surveillance and Prevention Plan, 2006-2010

The CDC website www.cdc.gov/ncipc can point you to several sources of national and state injury data. 

The CDC website also houses the MMWR (www.cdc.gov/mmwr/) which published Surveillance for Fatal and Nonfatal Injuries – United States, 2001. There are a number of references included.

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What can I do to help? 

You can help by 

• Following safety rules
  
• Teaching your children and reminding others in your family and your friends to follow safety rules
  
• Wearing your seatbelt and obeying posted speed limits
  
• Don’t drive while impaired (many prescription drugs can cause impairment as well as illegal substances and alcohol)
  
• Doing a safety check on your house: smoke alarm (check monthly & replace batteries yearly), electrical, furnace, stair treads and other elements
  
• Teaching your children to look three ways when crossing a street, to wear their seat belts or use child safety seats, to stay away from unknown animals and insects, to avoid matches and smoking materials
  
• Restricting access to firearms
  
• Fencing your pool and supervising children at all times around water
  
• Turning buckets upside down to prevent toddler drowning 
  
• Keeping poisons securely away from children and animals 
  
• Watching for fall hazards for older adults
  
• Getting involved with community based safety groups such as SAFEKIDS®, the Maricopa Drowning Prevention Coalition or others in your community. You may be able to find them through your city hall, city or county website or local fire department or hospital. 

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