Because today’s news is dominated by Osama Bin Laden’s death, today’s post is about violence as a public health issue. One way to improve individual and community well-being is to influence people’s behaviors, in this case, preventing violent behaviors.
According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data, about 51,000 people in the U.S. die from violence each year. “The number of violent deaths tells only part of the story. Many more survive violence and are left with permanent physical and emotional scars. Violence also erodes communities by reducing productivity, decreasing property values, and disrupting social services.” (copied from the CDC’s website)
According to a timeline by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a 1979 U.S. Surgeon General’s report was a key action in an initial phase of building the case for violence prevention. Violence used to be considered primarily a criminal justice or security issue. Framing violence as a public health issue encouraged public health professionals to use their expertise to address the issue, e.g., health education, policy, advocacy and other approaches.
If you want to help prevent, bullying, suicides, intimate partner violence, child maltreatment, etc., public health training can help you pursue your aspirations.
Copied from the CDC website:
Sponsored Programs/Initiatives
- Academic Centers of Excellence (ACE)
- Choose Respect
- Domestic Violence Prevention Enhancement and Leadership Through Alliances (DELTA)
- National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS)
- Public Health Leadership Initiative (PHIL)
- Rape Prevention and Education (RPE)
- STRYVE—Striving To Reduce Youth Violence Everywhere
- Violence Education Tools Online (VetoViolence)
