Injury Prevention and

Personal Safety
Christopher Ballmann, PhD

What is considered an injury?

Unintentional or intentional damage to the body
resulting from acute exposure to thermal,
mechanical, electrical, or chemical energy or from
the absence of essentials such as heat or oxygen.

WHO cares?
World health organization (WHO) is a specialized
agency of the U.N. concerned with public safety.
Monitor health and disease.
Provide much of the statistics on disease and injury
on a global scale.

CDC
In the United States, the Center for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC) monitors disease/injury.
Monitor health and disease.
Provide much of the statistics on disease and injury within the U.S
specifically.
Also educate and inform the public of health related
items/prevention.

Injury as a Public Concern

The most common cause of death of people from 1- 44 years of age

From ages 13-34, deaths are unintentional

The leading cause of disability and a significant contributor to the loss of

productive years of life and a major contributor to health care cost
Constitutes over 35% of all emergency department visits and 10% of all
physician office visits
In the U.S. 90,000 unintentional deaths, 20,000 homicides and 20,000 suicides
The life time cost of injuries in 2020 is estimated to reach close to $300 billion

Injury as a Public Concern

|-----------------------------|
|
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1/400
|
|
|
|
|
|-------

1/18
Deaths
147,891
______________

Hospital discharges

1/14

2,591,000

____________________________
Emergency department visits
36,961,000

________________________________________
Episodes of injuries reported
59,127,000

2/3

Trauma Death and Age/Gender

National Trauma Data

Bank,

U.S. is #1

Source: Fingerhut LA, et al. Advance Data Number 303, October 7 1998, US National
Center for Health Statistics, International Comparative Analysis of Injury Mortality.
Findings From the ICE on Injury Statistics.
NB: The number and particular years that go to make up each countries' estimate differ.

Common Types of Injuries

Sprains
Strains
Lacerations
Fractures

Sprains
Sprains
Damage to ligaments
Bone to bone

3 grades:
Grade 1: the fibers are stretched, but intact
Grade 2: Partial tear/rupture
Grade 3: Complete rupture or tear

Most common in ankles, knee, and toes

Strains
Strains
Damage muscle or tendon
Muscle/ muscle to bone

3 grades:
Grade 1: the fibers are stretched, but intact
Grade 2: Partial tear/rupture
Grade 3: Complete rupture or tear

Most common in lower leg, lower back, ankle

R.I.C.E
Principle in order to best treat lower grade
sprains/strains
R.I.C.E
Rest
Ice
Compression
Elevation

Lacerations
Deep cut or tear in flesh
Can be superficial or deep
Skin
Vascular
Visceral

Typically caused by some form of blunt force

trauma

Fractures
Any kind of damage that disrupts continuity of the
bone
Various types:
Incomplete
Complete
Comminuted

Can also be described by what type of stress

induces the fracture and pattern of break

Motor Vehicle Injuries

US motor vehicle crashes in 2010 cost almost $1 trillion in loss of
productivity and loss of life (NHTSA, 2014)
Most common causes:

Alcohol-related crashes
Speeding
Red Light Running
Fatigue
Distracted Driving
Cell phone use

Work Related Injuries

Occupational injuries and illnesses = $250 billion/year in US (Leigh,

JP, 2012)
Work related Injuries :
8,564,600 fatal and non-fatal work-related injuries, which cost $192 billion
516, 100 fatal and non-fatal work-related illnesses, which cost $58 billion

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)

Concerned with personal safety/ injury prevention related to work/jobs

Sexual Assault and Rape

~ 700,000 females are raped in the U.S.
annually, ~10,000 males
Among college students, 20-25% of females
say they experienced an attempted or
completed rape during their college years
Prevention
Trust your gut feeling
Know your sexual boundaries
Avoid compromising situations
Stay sober
If you do drink, dont leave your drink
unattended

What if I am raped?

GO TO A SAFE PLACE
Call the police
Call someone for support
Dont clean yourself
Be open and honest

How do we prevent injury?

Factors to Consider
What environment am I going to be
in?
What are the qualities of the activity?

Heights?
Strength?
Skill Level?
Uneven terrain?

Proper gear
Footwear
Helmet

Ask yourself the following:

Risk ?
Cost/Benefit?
Level of Stupidity?

Causes of Injury?
Lack of awareness
Who is around?
What is around?
Who is affected by my actions?

Injury Prevention Strategies

1) Prevention of creation of the injury agent
Hazard prevention
Exposure to toxins/drugs
Fireworks
Loaded gun

2)Reduce potential for hazard

Requires you to identify the hazard first

Following speed limits

Alcohol
Wearing extra clothing when it is extremely cold
Wearing a seatbelt

Injury Prevention Strategies

3) Separate the person from the person from the agent/hazard
Involves creation of a barrier:
Stop signs/red lights
Gun locked in a safe
Gates/railings
Childproof pill bottles

4) Equipment modification
Footwear
Wearing a helmet
Ankle/knee braces

Injury Prevention Strategies

5) Prepare/strengthen the person
Largely determinate by what YOU do!
Improve ankle strength to prevent a sprain
Improve your nutrition/diet
Proper medications

Injury Prevention Strategies

General Determines of Health

Genetics
20%

Behavior
50%

Access to
Care
10%
Environm ent
20%

Take Home Message

Injury prevention and personal safety is largely
based on what YOU do!
Identify the factors needed to assess how to best
deal with any hazards.
Be alert, be smart, be prepared!

Natural Disaster
What measures should I take in order to protect
myself in the event of a natural disaster?

Natural Disaster
A naturally occurring event that causes damage
or loss of life

Facts About Natural Disasters

Disasters disrupt lives.
Disasters can strike anywhere, anytime.
Following a disaster, it may take time for help to
arrive.
Being prepared is the best strategy.

Preparing yourself
1. Be informed.
Know the risks

2. Make a plan
Have a plan for evacuation or emergency

3. Get an emergency kit

Put vital supplies needed to survive a natural disaster

4. Volunteer to help others!

Have an Emergency Plan

Escape/ evacuation routes
Family communication
Vital records
Specific needs
Safety Skills

Escape/Evacuation Routes
Route to escape from home
Meeting place outside/rally point
Everyone in the house should know this

Evacuation routes from the community that are predesignated by local officials
Best evacuation route from work

Family Communication
Need to account for family members
Each member should carry and emergency
contact card
Medical bracelet

Designate an out-of-state friend or relative

Vital Records
Everyone should have property, health and life
insurance. You may be eligible to purchase flood
insurance.
Make a record of personal property photos or video.
Store important records, pictures / video in a secure
location away from the home

Specific Needs
Address specific needs in the disaster plan.
Hearing aids

Medications
Mobility issues
Specific dietary needs

Create a network of friends to provide assistance.

Keep special supplies ready and easy to reach.
Make provisions to obtain medication, if needed.

Safety Skills
Know first aid and CPR.
Include first aid supplies in your
emergency supplies kit.

Get an Emergency Kit

Have a minimum 3-day supply.
7-day supply is best with a 3-day supply ready to take with you

Maintain the kit every 6 months.

Know the location of your kit.
Home
Work
Car

Water
Bottled/purified
One gallon of water per person per day

Change the water every 6 months.

Food
Avoid foods that cause thirst.
Canned foods, dry mixes, and other non-perishable food.
Check the date on foods.
Include snacks.
Hand can opener.

Other items
Battery powered radio with extra batteries and/or hand crank radio
Flashlights and extra batteries
First aid kit
Sanitation and hygiene items
Matches in a waterproof container
Whistle
Extra clothing
Cooking utensils
Photocopies of credit and identification cards

Maintain the Kit

Keep food supplies in a dry, cool place.
Discard food that is out of safe date.
Change food and water every 6 months.
Update items

Take Home Message

You should prepare yourself and your loved ones in
case of a natural disaster.
Preparing yourself could be the difference between life
and death.
You cant account for every uncertain situation, but
being prepared can make even those situations better.

References
publichealth.lacounty.gov
www.nfpa.org
https://www.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu/publish/news/newsroo
m/6075
http://www.rmiia.org/auto/traffic_safety/Cost_of_crashe
s.asp
Mazen S. Zenati, M.D., MPH, Ph.D., University of
Pittsburgh
Department of Surgery and Epidemiology