WORLD TRAUMA DAY
World Trauma Day occurs every year on October 17th. The day focuses on the importance of saving and protecting lives during emergencies. It’s also a day to provide education on how to avoid traumatic injuries and deaths.
What is Trauma?
In the medical world, trauma is considered a physical injury. Traumatic events cause these physical injuries. These events include domestic violence, natural disasters, and severe car accidents. Traumatic injuries usually happen suddenly. They also require immediate medical care. It’s not uncommon for those who suffer a traumatic injury to go into shock. Some may even require resuscitation or interventions to save the limbs. Many people develop a disability after suffering a traumatic injury. For others, their traumatic injury is fatal.
Statistics
In the United States and around the world, traumatic injury is the leading cause of death under the age of 45. Nearly 6 million people die each year as a result of traumatic injuries. This number accounts for 10% of deaths throughout the world. Traumatic fatalities happen more than deaths related to malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS combined. About 90% of these deaths occur in countries with low and middle incomes.
Traumatic injuries are also a leading cause of disability. Traumatic brain injuries are exceptionally debilitating. An estimated sixty-nine million people suffer from traumatic brain injuries each year.
The more quickly medical attention is given, the better the chance of helping the patient. Unfortunately, there are many countries with limited means of getting patients rapidly to a hospital. In some countries, like Kenya, it can take up to an hour to get to the hospital after a car crash. In developing countries, many hospitals do not have the proper medical equipment for emergency care. There is also a lack of adequately trained personnel in hospitals. If all these things were in place, 50% of road deaths in developing countries could be prevented.
HOW TO OBSERVE #WorldTraumaDay
On World Trauma Day, emergency personnel throughout the world provide education on how to assist others during a traumatic event. Some countries, like India, have developed Good Samaritan Laws so that bystanders can offer assistance without fear of legal hassle.
Do you know CPR? If not, World Trauma Day is a great time to learn it. Other life-saving skills to attain include:
- The Heimlich Maneuver
- Hypothermia prevention
- Using an Automated External Defibrillator (AED)
- Blood loss control
- Escaping from a sinking car
- Exiting a burning building
- Reacting to snakebites
- Helping with allergic reactions
- By having these emergency lifesaving skills, you might one day save the life of a loved one, or a perfect stranger.
- Don’t forget to spread awareness by sharing #WorldTraumaDay on social media.
WORLD TRAUMA DAY HISTORY
World Trauma Day began in New Delhi, India, in 2011. More than 400 people die each day as a result of road accidents in India. World Trauma Day was created as a way to decrease this number in their country and other countries around the world.