Injuries and violence

Injuries and violence take the lives of 4.4 million people around the world each year and constitute nearly 8% of all deaths. For people age 5-29 years, three of the top five causes of death are injury-related, namely road traffic injuries, homicide and suicide. Beyond these deaths, tens of millions of people suffer non-fatal injuries each year which lead to emergency department and acute care visits, hospitalizations, and treatment by general practitioners. They often result in temporary or permanent disability and the need for long-term care and rehabilitation. Injuries and violence place a massive burden on national economies, costing countries billions of US dollars each year in health care, lost productivity and law enforcement. There are numerous specific strategies based on sound scientific evidence that are effective and cost-effective at preventing injuries and violence; it is critical that these strategies are more widely implemented.