AbbreviationsCBACDCCEACUADALYHMOIADBILONCVSNVAWSQALYWHOWRVHcost-benefit analysisCenters for Disease Control and Prevention (USA)cost-effectiveness analysiscost-utility analysisdisability-adjusted life yearhealthcare ma<strong>int</strong>enance organizationInter-American Development BankInternational Labour OrganisationNational Crime Victimization Survey (USA)National Violence against Women Survey (USA)quality-adjusted life yearWorld Health OrganizationWorld Report on Violence and Healthvii
ForewordWHO's World report on <strong>violence</strong> and health (published in 2002) makes a strongcase for <strong>violence</strong> prevention. It reviewed available scientific evidence. It showedthe need to work at all levels <strong>of</strong> the ecological model - with individuals, families,communities and societies - and to draw upon the contributions <strong>of</strong> multiplesectors, such as justice, education, welfare, employment and health. It concludedthat <strong>violence</strong> prevention is complex, but is possible. <strong>The</strong> present report, on <strong>The</strong><strong>economic</strong> <strong>dimensions</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong><strong>int</strong>erpersonal</strong> <strong>violence</strong>, strengthens the case for investing inprevention even further by highlighting the enormous <strong>economic</strong> costs <strong>of</strong> theconsequences <strong>of</strong> <strong><strong>int</strong>erpersonal</strong> <strong>violence</strong>, and reviewing the limited butnonetheless striking evidence for the cost-effectiveness <strong>of</strong> preventionprogrammes.<strong>The</strong> first section <strong>of</strong> this report presents an ecological model for assessing the<strong>economic</strong> <strong>dimensions</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong><strong>int</strong>erpersonal</strong> <strong>violence</strong>, and addresses some <strong>of</strong> themethodological issues around the costing <strong>of</strong> <strong>violence</strong>, its consequences andefforts to prevent it. <strong>The</strong> second section reviews the available evidence for thedirect and indirect <strong>economic</strong> costs <strong>of</strong> child abuse and neglect; <strong>int</strong>imate partner<strong>violence</strong>; sexual assault; workplace <strong>violence</strong> and youth <strong>violence</strong>; and the effect onpublic finances <strong>of</strong> selected risk factors for <strong><strong>int</strong>erpersonal</strong> <strong>violence</strong>, includingfirearms, alcohol, drugs and gangs. Section three reviews cost-effectivenessstudies <strong>of</strong> programmes to prevent child abuse and neglect, <strong>int</strong>imate partner<strong>violence</strong>, youth <strong>violence</strong> and gun <strong>violence</strong>.<strong>The</strong> fourth section examines selectedrecent studies that explore the relationship between <strong><strong>int</strong>erpersonal</strong> <strong>violence</strong> and<strong>economic</strong> factors that can potentially be modified through policy <strong>int</strong>erventions,including poverty, <strong>economic</strong> inequality, employment and social networks. <strong>The</strong>report concludes by identifying the many gaps in the literature (for instance,there were no studies <strong>of</strong> the costs <strong>of</strong> elder abuse, few from developing countriesand few cost-effectiveness studies), and defining a research agenda for futurestudies <strong>of</strong> the costs <strong>of</strong> <strong><strong>int</strong>erpersonal</strong> <strong>violence</strong>, which it recommends should bebased upon a standardized methodology that, unlike the currently dominanthuman capital approach, allows for the comparison <strong>of</strong> the costs <strong>of</strong> <strong><strong>int</strong>erpersonal</strong><strong>violence</strong> across countries and different economies.After reading this report one is left with three key messages. First, that theconsequences <strong>of</strong> <strong><strong>int</strong>erpersonal</strong> <strong>violence</strong> are extremely costly. Second, thatprevention studies show evidence <strong>of</strong> cost effectiveness. Third, that for most <strong>of</strong>the developing world and many developed countries there is not even descriptiveinformation about the direct costs <strong>of</strong> treating the consequences <strong>of</strong> <strong><strong>int</strong>erpersonal</strong><strong>violence</strong>. Together, these messages outline one <strong>of</strong> the major challenges in theyears ahead, which is to systematically establish a solid base <strong>of</strong> evidence aboutviii
Change language