Already a leading cause of death and hospitalization in industrialized countries, injuries are rapidly assuming epidemic proportions throughout the world. This book provides a worldwide overview of injury problems, from motor vehicle crashes to suicides. It reviews approaches to analysing injury data and offers concise summaries of topics vital to injury prevention, such as biomechanics, developmental and social aspects, epidemiologic research, and strategies for injury control. Especially unique is the breadth of examples from non-industrialized countries of the world. The book is based on a multidisciplinary approach to injury prevention and gives practical examples of success and failure stories from around the world. It will be of interest to health professionals, policymakers, community health workers, and students of medicine, nursing and public health.