Violence as a Public Health Risk

Violence is a public health problem that affects people of all ages. In 2007, violence was one of the top 10 leading causes of death in the United States for people from birth to age 64 years. Violence takes many forms, such as child maltreatment, intimate partner violence, sexual violence, self-directed violence, and youth violence. Violence may be best understood and prevented through a public health approach. A focus is placed on preventing violence before it occurs (primary prevention), employing a scientific approach to understand the problem and what action can be taken to prevent it, taking a population perspective that places an emphasis on broad-based changes in communities and society that benefit the largest number of people, and working across sectors (eg, health, justice, education) and integrating knowledge from multiple disciplines (eg, epidemiology, psychology, sociology, medicine). In this article, the authors review the incidence and burden of different forms of violence and the factors that place people at risk for, or protect people from, experiencing violence either as a victim or as a perpetrator. The authors also review strategies based on the best available evidence that may be implemented to prevent violence from occurring, highlighting violence prevention tools for health practitioners. By understanding the burden of violence, the factors that place people at risk for and protect people from experiencing violence, and strategies that can prevent and interrupt violence, health practitioners can play a more active role in enhancing the health and safety of their patients.