“For more than 30 years, our program has worked tirelessly to eliminate the needless suffering and death from injuries and violence,” said Trisha Keller, Program Manager for the UDOH Violence and Injury Prevention Program. “We are thrilled to have a more up-to-date website that shows the personal side of these topics and helps people live safer lives.”
Injuries can have a dramatic impact on a person’s ability to lead an active, fulfilling life. Every day in Utah:
• 4 people die from injury or violence (1,829 deaths ⃰ );
• 31 are hospitalized due to injury or violence (12,280 hospitalizations⃰ ); and
• 444 are seen in an emergency department due to injury or violence (154,047 visits⃰ )
In 2012, the top five injury-related causes of death in Utah were suicides, poisonings, falls, motor vehicle traffic crashes, and unintentional suffocations. The rate of injury deaths in Utah increased significantly from 2010 to 2012 (65.3 per 100,000 and 72.3 per 100,000, respectively). Research shows that most injuries are predictable and preventable.
The new website, www.health.utah.gov/vipp, features 20 violence and injury topics that impact individuals across their lifetime. Stories and quotes from Utahns impacted by injuries and violence are also highlighted on the new website. The most recent data, prevention tips, and resources are provided for each topic, which include:
• Bicycle Safety
• Child Fatalities
• Child Maltreatment
• Child Passenger Safety
• Dating Violence
• Domestic Violence
• Falls
• Infant Sleep
• Motor Vehicle Crashes
• Pedestrian Safety
• Prescription Drug Overdoses
• Rape and Sexual Assault
• Sports Concussions
• Safe Kids Utah
• Student Injuries
• Suicide
• Teen Driving
• Traumatic Brain Injuries
• Violent Deaths
• Youth Suicide
The new website is structured by lifespan and broken down into four age groups: Children (ages 0-14), Teens and Young Adults (ages 15-24), Adults (25-64), and Older Adults (ages 65+). “We’ve categorized these topics in age groups so the public can find information applicable to their own lives more easily,” said Katie McMinn, UDOH Violence Prevention Specialist.
The new injury prevention website is available at http://health.utah.gov/vipp.
⃰ 2012 data
# # #
