Preventable injuries are the number one killer and cause of hospitalization

11-17-2021

The second Annual National Injury Prevention Day is Thursday, November 18toddler reaching for pan on stove, Preventable injuries, killer and cause of hospitalization, violence, safety practices, prevention of childhood injuries, julie philbrook

While the world continues to address issues surrounding COVID-19 and the rise in deaths due to the delta variant, the number one killer and reason people aged one to 44 are hospitalized – injuries and violence – remain major concerns for healthcare professionals and community advocates.

“Many of these injuries are preventable with the use of safety practices, products, and the implementation of strong legislative policies,” explains Hennepin Healthcare’s Injury Prevention Specialist Julie Philbrook, RN, who says that every day, 20 children die from preventable injuries, resulting in more deaths than all other diseases combined.

“That’s just one of the reasons why we’re joining other top injury and violence prevention organizations to raise awareness for the second annual National Injury Prevention Day this Thursday.”

Hennepin Healthcare is a member of the National Injury Free Coalition for Kids and will be joining forces with more than 40 other affiliated sites to mark National Injury Prevention Day on Thursday, November 18. As a nationally verified Level I Trauma Center for Pediatrics, Hennepin Healthcare is committed to the treatment and prevention of childhood injuries – the leading cause of death and disability to US children from one to 18 years old.

The Level I Trauma Center, along with other trauma centers and community advocates across the country, will use this platform to educate families and community leaders about ways to develop safer environments and provide tools to ensure that safety comes first so that injuries do not come second. Local and state government representatives will be challenged to acknowledge these concerns and make efforts to prioritize injury prevention.

At 12:00 p.m. (CST) on Thursday the public is invited to take part in a live national conversation about the country’s top injury and violence concerns during a one-hour Twitter chat using the hashtag #BeInjuryFree  @injuryFreeKids. Later in the evening, several landmarks, businesses and monuments have indicated that they will shine a green light to raise awareness about the need the need for change. In Minneapolis, the following are scheduled to be lit up Green for Safety:

  • US Bank Stadium
  • 35 W Bridge
  • Lowry Bridge
  • Nicollet Mall
  • Capella Tower

“Sometimes we take safety for granted, and it’s up to all of us to make sure it’s at the forefront of what we do – for our kids and our families,” says Philbrook. “If taking a day to pause and focus on injury prevention saves even one life – it’s worth every effort.”

For more information on the events Hennepin Healthcare has planned to raise awareness about Injury Prevention Day go to National Injury Prevention Day – Hennepin Healthcare.