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Rural Health Information Hub

Module 1: Introduction to Unintentional Injury Prevention

Unintentional injury is one of the five leading causes of death in both urban and rural areas. The most common causes of unintentional injury-related deaths in rural areas include motor vehicle accidents, poisoning, falls, and drownings. The death rate from unintentional injuries is higher in rural than urban areas. Unintentional injuries are preventable, and as a result, many programs have been developed across the U.S. to address these issues.

This module provides an overview of unintentional injury prevention and an introduction to some of the unique considerations when addressing unintentional injuries in rural areas. This module will provide important background information needed for implementing a program to prevent unintentional injuries in a rural community.

For general information on what to consider as you start your program, see Creating a Program: Where to Begin in the Rural Community Health Toolkit.

In this module: