Ideology and injury prevention.

Data from a recently completed study of head injuries reveal that many of these injuries, and deaths from these injuries, result from interpersonal violence and automobile accidents. Such injuries are normally difficult to prevent. In this study it was found that much of the interpersonal violence involves family members and many of the vehicle accidents, especially those that result in death, happen to pedestrians. Prevention thus becomes even more difficult. Based upon these data and observations, five categories of prevention strategies are generated and evaluated. It is determined that the four strategies usually within the domain of traditional prevention (inaction, education, legislation, and design alterations) are not likely to prevent many head injuries or injuries in general. A fifth category is thus recommended. This category requires meaningful involvement of people into work that impacts on the social and political reality of their lives. The prevailing ideology of prevention offered by the health professions is considered and is found to be in opposition to our fifth prevention category. The implications of this opposition are examined and the search for improved health is considered in this context.