Nova Scotia's Renewed Injury Prevention Strategy - Government of ...

Why Do We Need an InjuryPrevention Strategy?OverviewInjury remains a leading cause of death anddisability throughout the world, killing five millionpeople annually. In Canada, injury is the leadingcause of death and disability during the first 45years of life and the fourth leading cause of deathoverall. 1 In 2004, injuries killed 13,667 Canadiansand cost our economy $19.8 billion. 2 In Nova Scotia,injury kills 425 people annually and causes thedeaths of more young people aged 1–19 years thanall other causes of death combined. 3 Injury is also amajor cause of death and disability in lateradulthood and the senior years. In 2004 injury costNova Scotians $518 million. 4Defining injuryAn injury is the physical damage that resultswhen the human body is suddenly subjected toenergy in amounts that exceed the threshold ofphysiological tolerance or from the lack of oneor more of the vital elements (such as oxygen orheat). The energy could be mechanical, thermal,chemical, electrical, or radiant.Injuries are usually defined by intention. Themain causes of unintentional injuries are falls,motor vehicle crashes, drownings, and burns.Intentional injury includes physical force againstoneself, another person, or group or communitythat results in injury, death, mental harm, ormaldevelopment or deprivation. 5Injury has a staggering impact on the health andsustainability of our province, whether measured interms of the human, social or economic impacts. Asa province, we are striving to ensure every NovaScotian is safe, has the opportunity to contribute in ameaningful way and feels valued within theircommunity. Injury prevention plays a key role in theachievement of this goal.Injury prevention efforts in Nova Scotia date backmany decades, from early work in water, rail, androad safety to the more recent development of theNova Scotia Injury Prevention Strategy in 2004, thefirst initiative of its kind in Canada. In 2006 theNova Scotia strategy was recognized by the WorldHealth Organization (WHO) as an example of asuccessful sub-national injury prevention policy. 7Although past prevention efforts have resulted in adecrease in injuries, there is clearly much more to bedone. The reality is that injury prevention has notkept pace with other public health interventionssuch as tobacco control or infectious diseaseprevention programs. Despite its devastatingimpacts, injury has largely remained an invisibleepidemic. As a significant public health issue, injuryshould not stand apart from other initiatives as aseparate area of policy and practice. It takes thecombined efforts of many sectors, well beyond thosejust concerned with health, to prevent injuries. Injuryshares many of the same root causes as other publichealth issues and much can be accomplished byworking on all of these problems together instead ofin isolation.Taking It to the Next Level Nova Scotia’s Renewed Injury Prevention Strategy15