The 'WHO Safe Communities' model for the prevention of injury in whole populations

Abstract

Evidence suggests the WHO Safe Communities model is effective in reducing injuries in whole populations. However, important methodological limitations exist in all studies from which evidence can be obtained. A lack of reported detail makes it unclear which factors facilitate or hinder a programme's success, and makes uncertain, whether the success of any particular application of the model is necessarily replicable in other communities. In evaluated programmes that did not report significant decreases in injury rates, this lack of information makes it difficult to distinguish between evidence of no effect of the model, or no evidence of effect. The four countries that have evaluated their Safe Communities with a sufficiently rigorous study design have higher economic wealth and health standards and lower injury rates than much of the world. No evaluations were available from other parts of the world, despite the designation of WHO Safe Communities in countries such as South Africa, Bangladesh, China, Vietnam, Canada, UK and USA. Generalisation of results of studies conducted in just four countries, to the international population needs to be done with caution. There is a need for more high-quality, methodologically strong evaluations of the model in a range of diverse communities and detailed reporting of implementation processes.

Factores de riesgo relacionados con accidentes pediátricos en un hospital infantil de Bogotá

“…Los programas en prevención de accidentes deben estar dirigidos no solamente a los cuidadores, sino también a los trabajadores de la salud, políticos, legisladores, medios de comunicación y la empresa privada (14,15). La OMS dispone de un modelo para planificar y diseñar programas de prevención en accidentes y traumas no intencionales, el cual permite evaluar y definir las necesidades en salud pública (16).…”

Using local injury surveillance for community-based injury prevention: an analysis of Scandinavian WHO Safe Community and Canadian Safe Community Foundation programmes

“…The results are not necessarily characteristic of other community-based injury prevention programmes or other parts of the world. Scandinavia and Canada enjoy relative economic wealth and high health standards, including lower injury rates, than most other parts of the world (Spinks et al 2005). A related issue is the comparability of WHO Safe Community and SCF programmes.…”

Developing indicators for evaluation of age-friendly communities in Canada: process and results

“…Overall, 43 documents and articles were selected for review: 12 from the United States, 12-23 three multi-country international, 1,24,25 two from France, 26,27 two from Australia, 28,29 two from the Netherlands, 30,31 and one from the United Kingdom. 32 Twenty-one documents originated in Canada: five documents were from British Columbia, [33][34][35][36][37] five from Quebec, 7,38-41 four from Ontario, 9,10,42,43 one from Manitoba, 8 one from Saskatchewan 11 and five were national in scope.…”