ACIP defines injury and injury prevention in a manner that is consistent with the Canadian Injury Prevention Curriculum from the Canadian Collaborating Centres on Injury Prevention (CCCIP) of which ACIP is a member.

The Definition of Injury: An injury is the physical damage that results when a human body is suddenly or briefly subjected to intolerable levels of energy. The time between exposure to the energy and the appearance of an injury is short. The energy may be mechanical, thermal, electrical, or chemical.

Injuries by Intent:
Injuries can be classified as intentional or unintentional. Intentional injuries may be self-inflicted or other-inflicted. Self-inflicted intentional injuries include suicide, suicide-attempts, and self-harm. Other-inflicted intentional injuries include all forms of violence. Unintentional injuries include incidents such as unintended falls, motor vehicle collisions, burns, drowning, poisoning, or threats to breathing. Unintentional injuries are not accidents. Like intentional injuries, the majority are predictable and preventable.

Injury Prevention:
Ongoing strategies, policies, or programs designed to eliminate or reduce the occurrence and severity of injuries.

The Social Determinants of Injury:
The burden of injury is not shared equally amongst the population. Injury rates are tied to a wide range of social and economic factors that include income, education, gender, and work environment. Injury prevention strategies, policies, and programs must take into account these inequities to be effective at reducing injuries. For more information on the social determinants of injury, visit this section of the ACIP library.

For more information about the Canadian Injury Prevention Curriculum, go to www.canadianinjurycurriculum.ca