Our Vision:
A Safe and Healthy Environment for Children
Our Mission:
To provide expertise and resources, and advocate for
public policy
to prevent childhood injuries.
Injuries
Can Be Prevented
The Injury and Violence
Prevention Program of the California Chapter 4, American
Academy of Pediatrics provides expertise, evidence-based guidelines
and public policy advocacy for childhood injury and violence
prevention.
Local pediatricians participate in the
Chapters’ programs
and advocacy efforts aimed at reducing childhood injuries.
In its short history the Injury and Violence Prevention Program
has achieved local, state and national recognition.
Injury, (unintentional and intentional)
is the leading cause of death and disability in the United States
for children beyond the first year of life.
In 2000, the injuries
incurred by children and adolescents age 14 and younger will
have
lasting impacts, including total
lifetime economic costs of more than $50 billion in medical expenses
and lost productivity. [1]
However,
injuries can be prevented through enabling system changes (public
policy and laws, environment and engineering), as well as changes
in community and individual behaviors.
Key injury
facts: Orange County [2]
- Each day, 1 child under 5 years is seriously injured.
- Each month, 2 die as a result of injury.
- Assault (homicide) is a leading cause of death among children
less than 1 year of age
- Drowning is the leading cause of death for toddlers
- Pedestrian injuries are a leading cause of death
- Motor vehicle occupant injuries are leading causes of death
and serious injury among most age groups, and the leading cause
of death among adolescents, followed by suicide and homicide
[1] Finkelstein EA, Corso PS, Miller TR,Associates.
Incidence and economic burden of injuries in the United States.
New York: Oxford University Press; 2006 [2] State of California,
Department of Health Services, Epidemiology and Prevention for
Injury Control Branch
Injury
and Violence Prevention Program Materials
Choose from a wide variety of materials
and media that the Injury and Violence Prevention Program has to
offer pediatricians and other child health specialists. |