Violence remains in top 10 causes of death

Because of the complexities surrounding violence, its impact on society is deep and multifaceted. Aside from the physical effects, which have prompted the American Medical Association to recognize violence as a health issue, there are also very real monetary effects. According to the American Journal of Preventative Medicine, the estimated annual cost of medical care and productivity lost because of violence each year is estimated at more than $70 billion.

"Violence is an unfortunate reality of the world we live in with direct implications for health" stated Dr. James Rippe, Editor in Chief of the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine. "We are delighted to join with the CDC to bring this important issue to the forefront of medical discussion."

To help explore these issues and begin working on some solutions, guest co-editors Dr. Tamara Haegerich and Dr. Linda Dahlberg from CDC's Division of Violence Prevention sought articles that provide information about the prevalence of violence, circumstances surrounding violence, and even effective or promising approaches for violence prevention. Additionally, the foreword, written by Dr. Linda C. Degutis, Director of CDC's Injury Center, and Dr. Robin Ikeda, Director of CDC's Office of Noncommunicable Diseases, Injury, and Environmental Health focuses particularly on efforts most relevant for health care providers.

"Clinicians play an integral role in preventing violence on both individual and community levels. By understanding and recognizing risks for violence in their patients, they can identify warning signs and make referrals to effective preventive services. They can add to the voice of the community in raising awareness of violence, and in implementing evidence-based strategies to prevent it," said Dr Linda C. Degutis. "Working together, we can weave the fabric of a non-violent community, where people can live safe, healthy and productive lives."

The American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine features the following additional articles by CDC authors and their colleagues:

• "Violence as a Public Health Risk" by Tamara M. Haegerich and Linda L. Dahlberg
• "Sexual Violence Victimization of Women: Prevalence, Characteristics, and the Role of Public Health and Prevention" by Kathleen C. Basile and Sharon G. Smith
• "Addressing Self-Directed Violence Prevention for Preventive Medicine Practitioners" by Alex E. Crosby, Ayanna V. Buckner, and Beverly D. Taylor.
• "Intimate Partner Violence and Adverse Health Consequences: Implications for Clinicians" by Michele C. Black
• "A Review of Physical and Mental Health Consequences of Child Abuse and Neglect and Implications for Practice" by Rebecca T. Leeb, Terri Lewis, and Adam J. Zolotor
• "Violence and Men's Health: Understanding the Etiological Underpinnings of Men's Experiences with Violence" by Tamara M. Haegerich and Jeffrey E. Hall

The special edition of the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine is available free for a limited time at: http://ajlm.sagepub.com/content/5/5.toc.

This effort is the second partnership between the CDC and the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine. The first, published in 2009, focused on lifestyle medicine and unintentional injury prevention.