Citation

Sithisarankul P, Kuptniratsaikul S.O., Jitharn B. J. Thammasat Univ. Med. Sch. 2005; 6(1): 114-130.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2005, Thammasat University)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

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Abstract

Burden of disease is the health loss resulting from that disease, and currently indicated by DALYs (Disability-Adjusted Life Years). It is an indicator combining years of life lost and years lived with disability, and can be used to compare burden of different diseases and public health problems. Accidents, which is now preferably referred to as one of the largest group of "unintentional injuries", accounts for a large number of DALYs worldwide as well as Thailand. This stems from the fact that young adults are the most frequently affected. Traffic accidents are by far the largest group of accidents in every country, and workplace injuries are the second. The revolution in road travel is parallel to the development of materials, velocity and civilization. The World Health Organization has estimated that traffic accidents have accounted for one million deaths and 10 million disabled each year. These figures are increasing and are predicted to move from rank 9 in 1998 to rank 3 in 2020. Traffic accidents are therefore a classic example of disease of civilization. Epidemiological principles lie in the consideration of host, agent and environment. This article has gathered key information and approaches to control traffic accidents based on manipulation of these 3 groups of factors.