[Time to take the regional program for prevention of injuries seriously. Reduced number of hip fractures is the most obvious benefit of the Falun project].

The article consists in a report of the community safety programme to reduce the prevalence of non-intentional injuries that was launched in Falun in 1989 and built up gradually. Evaluation of the results was based on data elicited by a local surveillance system (out-patients) and hospital discharge data (in-patients), both of which registers indicated significant reductions in injury rates. Although the reduction was most prominent in the targeted risk categories (particularly in falls due to slipping or stumbling, resulting in femoral fractures), spin-off benefits were also observed. The manifest potential for economy in health care costs is also discussed.