World
Health Organization
On this day (April 7, 2004) around the globe, hundreds of organizations
will host events to help raise awareness about road traffic injuries, their
grave consequences and enormous costs to society.
Website:
http://www.who.int/world-health-day/2004/en/
"........Road
traffic injuries constitute a major public health problem. They cause an
estimated 1,171,000 deaths annually
and many more cases of disability. They happen to people from all economic
groups but more often to
the poor. When injured, the poor also have less chance of survival and full
recovery.
Historically,
road traffic injuries have been neglected because injuries have been seen as
accidents or random
events. Now, injuries are known to be preventable. Seat belts, child car seats,
motorcycle helmets, designated
drivers, traffic calming, etc. have all proved effective at preventing these
types of injury.
Most
traffic-related injury prevention efforts have been in the wealthier countries.
Yet, other countries have higher
rates of death and permanent disability resulting from collisions. In these
countries, there is an urgent need
for strategies that are appropriate, cost-efficient and effective. "Appropriate"
means taking into account the
complexities of the problem and the availability of resources in any
particular country and, also, what has been shown to work elsewhere.
To
develop these strategies, most countries need better information. They need to
know more about the numbers
and types of injuries and about the circumstances in which injuries occur.
This information will indicate
just how serious the injury problem is and where, exactly, prevention measures
are most urgently needed.
Countries need greater commitment to prevention. Provided there is adequate
political will, millions
of lives could be saved in the coming years.
WHO Strategy: http://www.who.int/world-health-day/2004/en/final_strat_en.pdf
.........."
Report
of the Road Traffic Injuries and Health Equity Conference
Cambridge,
Massachusetts, USA - April 10-12, 2002
Available online as PDf file [18 p.] at:
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/hcpds/RTI_conf_report.pdf
"...The
purpose of the conference was to review the current status of road traffic
injuries in developing countries, assess interventions that could
significantly reduce the burden of such injuries in these countries, and
develop a multicountry intervention plan for research and action.
Conference
participants proposed six areas for future research and action on road traffic
injuries in developing countries: (1) injury surveillance systems, (2) systems
for protecting vulnerable population groups, (3) mechanisms for national road
safety enforcement, (4) minimum essential trauma care packages, (5) advocacy
and political engagement, and (6) capacity
development...."
This
message from the Pan American Health Organization, PAHO/WHO,
is part of an effort to disseminate information related to Equity, Health
inequality; socioeconomic inequality in health; socioeconomic health
differentials. Gender, Violence, Poverty, Health Economics, Health Legislation,
Ethnicity, Ethics, Information Technology and Virtual libraries, Research
& Science issues. [IKM Area]
PAHO/WHO
Website: http://www.paho.org/English/HDP/
EQUITY
List - Archives - Join/remove: http://listserv.paho.org/Archives/equidad.html
