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Violence
is a leading public health problem. Each year more than two
million people die as a result of injuries caused by violence.
Many more survive their injuries, but remain permanently
disabled. Among people aged 15–44 years,
interpersonal violence is the third most common cause of
death, suicide the fourth and war the sixth. In addition
to injuries and death, violence can result in a wide variety
of health problems. These include profound mental health
problems, sexually transmitted diseases, unwanted pregnancies
as well as behavioural problems.
Throughout the world, injuries have become a major public
health problem. In industrialized countries, intentional
and unintentional (accidental) injuries have become the
third most common cause of overall mortality and a main
cause of death among the 18–40
year old age group. Trauma, including injuries resulting from
road traffic accidents, is the second most common cause of
death after AIDS in the 18–25 age group. This has a huge
impact on financial stability in any society.
Trauma prevention is the most important aspect of trauma care
management. Medical and nursing teams are in a unique position
to educate patients and health workers about effective ways
of preventing injury.
TRAUMA CARE SYSTEMS AND TRAINING
The Annex contains the Primary Trauma Care Manual: Trauma Management
in District and Remote Locations which can be used for quick
reference and also to teach the basic knowledge and skills
needed to identify traumatized patients who require rapid assessment,
resuscitation and stabilization of their injuries.
The Primary Trauma Care Manual provides a foundation on which
doctors and nurses can build the necessary knowledge and skills
for trauma management with minimal equipment and without sophisticated
technological requirements.
Factors given special consideration in the Primary Trauma Care
Manual include:
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The
great distances over which patients may have to be transported
to reach hospital |
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The
time taken for them to reach hospital |
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Possible
absence of high-technology equipment and supplies |
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Possible
lack of specialists in trauma care at district hospitals. |
The
prevention of trauma is by far the least expensive and most
effective way of reducing the injuries and deaths caused
by trauma.
Preventive strategies include:
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Improvements
in road safety |
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Better
driver training |
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Pedestrian
and cyclist awareness |
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Wearing
of seat belts in cars or helmets for motor cyclists |
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Preventing
drivers from drinking alcohol |
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Limiting
civil and urban unrest. |
These
strategies are not easy to implement and success in trauma
prevention in an area depends on many factors, including:
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Culture |
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Availability
of personnel |
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Politics |
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Wearing
of seat belts in cars or helmets for motor cyclists |
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Training. |
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Correct management within the first
few hours after the injury is vital
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Your
hospital should have a trauma system, such as Primary
Trauma Care, to ensure that life-threatening conditions
can be quickly identified and treated
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Hospital
staff should be trained in acute trauma care, which
requires effective teamwork.
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