INJURY AND DEATH by Dr Ifeanyi J.

Nkwoka
• Injury came to be understood to be resulting from the uncontrolled
transfer of energy to the human body in amount that the body cannot
tolerate.
• Injuries are defined as any unintentional or intentional damage to the
body resulting from acute exposure to thermal , mechanical ,
electrical, chemical or from the absence of such essential as heat or
oxygen
INJURY AND DEATH CONT’D
• Every day violence and injuries take the live of more than 14,000
people
• Injuries caused by road traffic accidents ,fall, drowning, burns, and
poisoning among other things account four more than 5 million
deaths a year ,about 9% of world's death.
• Globally, of injury-related deaths, 24% are due to road traffic
crashes; 16% from suicide; 14% from falls; 10% from homicide;
and 7% from drowning. Around 2% of injury-related deaths
result from war and conflict.
INJURY AND DEATH CONT’D
• Violence and injuries affect all age groups, but have a particular
impact on young people and those in their prime working years.
For people 15-29 years of age, three injury-related causes are
among the top five causes of death: road traffic injuries (1st),
suicide (2nd) and homicide (4th).
• Beyond deaths tens of millions of people suffer injuries that lead
to hospitalization, emergency department visits, and treatment
by general practitioners. Many are left with temporary or
permanent disabilities; violence and injuries are responsible for
an estimated 6% of all years lived with disability.
INJURY AND DEATH CONT’D
• Globally, some 470 000 homicides occur each year and millions
of people suffer violence-related injuries.
• Over 3 400 people die on the world's roads every day and tens
of millions of people are injured or disabled every year.
Children, pedestrians, cyclists and older people are among the
most vulnerable of road users
• The latest WHO Global Health Estimates indicate that almost
360 000 people lost their lives to drowning in 2015. Nearly 60%
of these deaths occur among those aged under 30 years, and
drowning is the third leading cause of death worldwide for
children aged 5-14 years.
INJURY AND DEATH CONT’D
• Rates of fire related burns death in middle and low income countries
is 5.5 /100,000 people per year. This nearly six times higher than the
0.9 deaths /100,000 found in high income countries .
INJURY AND DEATH CONT’D
• A number of SDG targets relate specifically to violence and
injuries.
• Targets 3.6 to cut road traffic deaths by 50% by 2020.
• Target 5.2 to end violence against women and girls.
• Target 11.2 to provide safe and sustainable transport.
• Target 16.2 to end violence against children.
 Classification of injuries and death.
• When death or medical events are the result of injuries or poisoning,
(as opposed to illness) two types of international classifications of
disease ICD or ICD CM codes are applied:
• Nature of the injury or poisoning ( injury of blood vessels of the neck)
• External cause of the injury codes , which include details of the
mechanism and manner in which the injury occurred.(e.g self inflicted
firearm injury).
• Mechanism ( methods ) refer to the objects or forces that inflicted the
injury eg.suffocation, drowning, firearm, poisoning ,cutting ,
fall/jumping
Classification of injuries and death cont’d
Manner (the intent) includes the following categories
• Unintentional (accident)
• Suicide or intentional self inflicted injury
• Homicide or assault injury
• Intent not able to be determined
 STRATEGIES TO PREVENT VIOLENCE AND
INJURIES
• setting and enforcing laws on a range of issues from speeding
and smoke detectors to hot water tap temperatures and window
guards, among others.
• reducing the availability and harmful use of alcohol.
• limiting access to firearms, knives, pesticides and certain
medications.
• implementing vehicle and safety equipment standards.
• installing barriers controlling access to water, including wells
and swimming pools.
• improving emergency trauma care.
STRATEGIES TO PREVENT VIOLENCE AND
INJURIES CONT’D
• Fall in elderly can be prevented by exercise to improve strength and
balance .
• Elderly should have their Vision checked
• Also Elderly should also have their medication reviewed by Physician
or Pharmacist.
• Identify and eliminate fall hazards in homes and environment .
STRATEGIES TO PREVENT VIOLENCE AND
INJURIES CONT’D
• Drowning prevention interventions range from
community-based solutions, such as day care
for children and barriers controlling access to
water, to effective national policies and
legislation around water safety, including
setting and enforcing boating, shipping and
ferry regulations.
STRATEGIES TO PREVENT VIOLENCE AND
INJURIES CONT’D
• WHO works with partners - governmental and
nongovernmental - around the world to raise the
profile of the preventability of road traffic injuries
and promote good practice related to addressing
key behaviour risk factors – speed, drink-driving,
the use of motorcycle helmets, seat-belts and
child restraints.