Injury Prevention In Australia
Injury is a major cause of preventable death and disability in Australia. Whether intended or accidental, most physical injuries can be prevented by identifying their causes and removing these, or reducing people's exposure to them.
Injury Prevention and Control was endorsed as a National Priority Area by the Australian Health Ministers in 1996 in recognition of the national burden of injury.
The Department of Health (the Department) aims to reduce the incidence, morbidity and mortality associated with:
- injury across all age groups; and
- falls in non-Indigenous people aged 65 years and over and Indigenous people aged 55 years and over.
Evidence based research and analysis of injury related issues is supported by the Department through the National Injury Surveillance Unit of the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, the National Coroners Information System and the National Poisons Register.
Related policies, strategies and publications