Guidelines for conducting community surveys on injuries and violence.

mail: [email protected]). Requests for permission to reproduce or translate WHO publications – whether for sale or for noncommercial distribution – should The designations employed and the presentation of the material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the World Health Organization concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. Dotted lines on maps represent approximate border lines for which there may not yet be full agreement. The mention of specifi c companies or of certain manufacturers' products does not imply that they are endorsed or recommended by the World Health Organization in preference to others of a similar nature that are not mentioned. Errors and omissions excepted, the names of proprietary products are distinguished by initial capital letters. The World Health Organization does not warrant that the information contained in this publication is complete and correct and shall not be liable for any damages incurred as a result of its use. The named editors are responsible for the views expressed in this publication. NGOs Nongovernmental organizations PPS Probability proportional to size UN United Nations UNICEF United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund WHO World Health Organization YPLLs Years of potential life lost ABBREVIATIONS vii Injuries and violence pose a major public health and development problem worldwide. According to recent estimates, each year over 5 million people around the world die as a result of an injury. However, this total pales in comparison to the huge numbers who suffer non-fatal, disabling injuries each day. Although injuries and violence affect people of all ages, races and socioeconomic status, we know that the majority of the injury burden occurs among those from low-income and middle-income countries. Over the past few decades, as more attention has been paid to the worldwide problem of injuries, we have come to a better understanding of the nature and extent of injuries and violence. Accidents and injuries are no longer perceived as wholly random, unavoidable events but rather as ones that are largely preventable. We know that there are numerous effective measures for preventing injuries. In order to develop effective prevention strategies, most countries need better information on the burden of injuries and violence in their communities. It was this need that prompted the World Health Organization (WHO), in collaboration with the United States …