Child Injury And The Determinants Of Health

The World Health Organization recognizes that injuries are the leading cause of death and disability to children after their first birthday. There is also high morbidity associated with injuries sustained in childhood, often affecting people for the rest of their lives. For every child who dies from injury, there are several thousand who require medical care, many who live with varying degrees of disability. Children and adolescents (0–19 years of age) are at increased risk of mortality and morbidity due to injuries such as road traffic, burns, falls, poisoning, drowning, self-harm and interpersonal violence. There are proven ways to prevent many child injuries, yet there are still gaps in our knowledge. By understanding the impact of determinants of health (i.e., the social and economic environment, the physical environment and a person’s individual characteristics and behaviors), effective prevention interventions can be designed and implemented, with a high return on investment. This Special Issue covers an eclectic range of studies, the common goal of which is to reduce the global burden of child injury-related mortality and morbidity.

The World Health Organization recognizes that injuries are the leading cause of death and disability to children after their first birthday. There is also high morbidity associated with injuries sustained in childhood, often affecting people for the rest of their lives. For every child who dies from injury, there are several thousand who require medical care, many who live with varying degrees of disability. Children and adolescents (0-19 years of age) are at increased risk of mortality and morbidity due to injuries such as road traffic, burns, falls, poisoning, drowning, self-harm and interpersonal violence. There are proven ways to prevent many child injuries, yet there are still gaps in our knowledge. By understanding the impact of determinants of health (i.e., the social and economic environment, the physical environment and a person's individual characteristics and behaviors), effective prevention interventions can be designed and implemented, with a high return on investment. This Special Issue covers an eclectic range of studies, the common goal of which is to reduce the global burden of child injury-related mortality and morbidity.

Child injuries are largely absent from child survival initiatives presently on the global agenda. Through this report, the World Health Organization, the United Nations Children's Fund and many partners have set out to elevate child injury to a priority for the global public health and development communities. It should be seen as a complement to the UN Secretary-General's study on violence against children released in late 2006 (that report addressed violence-related or intentional injuries). Both reports suggest that child injury and violence prevention programs need to be integrated into child survival and other broad strategies focused on improving the lives of children. Evidence demonstrates the dramatic successes in child injury prevention in countries which have made a concerted effort. These results make a case for increasing investments in human resources and institutional capacities. Implementing proven interventions could save more than a thousand children's lives a day.--p. vii.

Injuries are a leading cause of death and disability in children. This report presents evidence on how they can be prevented and calls for greater commitment and action from policy-makers and practitioners to decrease the burden. Every year, unintentional injuries kill nearly 42,000 children and young people under the age of 20 in the WHO European Region. Injuries are the leading cause of death among those aged 5-19 years, and 5 out of 6 of these deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries. Irrespective of country income, the burden falls disproportionately on children from the most disadvantaged groups. The leading types of unintentional injuries are road traffic injuries, drowning, poisoning, burns and falls. All injury types have similar main causes and socioeconomic and environmental determinants. Children are particularly vulnerable to injuries and need special consideration to safeguard their rights to health and safe environments, free from injury. This report, companion to the World Report on Child Injury Prevention, presents the evidence on both the great potential for injury prevention and the effectiveness and value for money of measures already in use in European countries with low injury mortality. It shows why health systems and particularly programs for child health throughout the WHO European Region should give priority to preventing and controlling child injury.

Printed Edition of the Special Issue Published in IJERPH

Children's health has clearly improved over the past several decades. Significant and positive gains have been made in lowering rates of infant mortality and morbidity from infectious diseases and accidental causes, improved access to health care, and reduction in the effects of environmental contaminants such as lead. Yet major questions still remain about how to assess the status of children's health, what factors should be monitored, and the appropriate measurement tools that should be used. Children's Health, the Nation's Wealth: Assessing and Improving Child Health provides a detailed examination of the information about children's health that is needed to help policy makers and program providers at the federal, state, and local levels. In order to improve children's health-and, thus, the health of future generations-it is critical to have data that can be used to assess both current conditions and possible future threats to children's health. This compelling book describes what is known about the health of children and what is needed to expand the knowledge. By strategically improving the health of children, we ensure healthier future generations to come.