Handbook of Injury & Violence Prevention

Injuries kill and maim millions each year, and seriously impact the lives of countless loved ones. Yet until recently they've been considered a random, normal part of life. Preventing injuries, on the other hand, requires not only effective communication with the public, but also a reliable framework for creating and evaluating suitable interventions. "The Handbook of Injury and Violence Prevention" is the first book to address both halves of this challenge, reviewing evidence-based intervention programs in depth so professionals can identify successful, promising, and ineffective (and potentially harmful) prevention strategies. Over fifty experts present the current landscape of intervention methods - from risk reduction to rethinking social norms - as they address some of the most prevalent forms of accidental and violent injury, as well as emerging areas. This book features: overview chapters that examine the social and economic scope of unintentional and violent injury today; extensive literature review of specific intervention programs to prevent violence and injury; special chapters on childhood injuries, alcohol-related accidents, and disasters; "Interventions in the Field" section that offers solid guidelines for implementing and improving existing programs; critical analysis of issues involved in delivering programs to wider audiences; helpful appendices that list relevant agencies and professional resources. This dual focus on intervention and application makes the Handbook a bedrock text for professionals involved in delivering or managing prevention programs. Its what-works-now approach gives it particular utility in the graduate classroom, and researchers will benefit from the critical attention paid to knowledge gaps in the field. It is a major resource for any reader committed to reducing the number of incidents just waiting to happen.