Chapter 17: Injuries as a Community HEalth Problem

Abstract
Accidents do happen, all around us, all the time. It is a very real and palpable danger to the well being of every person on the planet. Accidental injury is one of the leading causes of death in the world and it accounts for billions of dollars spent on medical costs and emergency services in the U.S. alone.Injuries occur when we least expect them, and usually in places we wouldn't expect, such as our homes, because of the feeling of safety home tends to give us. Car accidents also raise the toll in accidental injuries and death with over 42% of accidental deaths occurring due to motor vehicle accidents. Intentional injuries in congruence with unintentional come to be the 5th leading cause of death in the United States. Intentional injury is even more heinous than accidental due to the very nature of the acts themselves. Overall these preventable disasters really take their toll on our society, financially, physically, and mentally.

Reflection
The real problem with these types of injuries and the deaths that they can lead to are entirely preventable. It's infuriating to lose a loved one to something as simple as a forgotten seat belt or a lose rug at the top of the stairs. Even worse is when a loved one is taken from you by the actions of another person or by themselves. We do have systems and education in place to try and stem the tide of this issue, but no matter what, when people get home or behind the wheel of their car, they simply get that human sensation of comfort. In the same vein, do we want to take away that feeling of security for people, do we really want all Americans living in fear and scrutinizing every tiny aspect of their lives? Absolutely not; and also, at what point does our efforts to stop these incidents become too invasive? Realistically, what we are doing now is somewhat effective, and I believe efforts should be kept up, but what will it take to make everyone safe?