The classification of injuries by type and severity, both in terms of their relative threat to life as well as the probability of resultant impairment or long-term disability should be the cornerstone of every data system. Standardised schemes for describing the nature and severity of fatal and non-fatal injuries are essential for developing effective strategies for reducing the socioeconomic burden of injury. Various tools exist which contribute to the globalisation of injury scales. The need for a scale covering injury outcome (impairment and disability) has become a priority. Attempts have been made to develop or adapt other scales to produce costs of injury scales but so far these scales are likely to remain country-specific and culture-specific. Areas for further knowledge include adoption of a global standard for injury severity assessment; development of a simple injury scale for pre-hospital use; autopsy reports to include information to facilitate understanding of injury types and mechanisms that contribute to fatalities; age related information; an agreed set of national definitions in police reported information and avoidance of disparities between police and hospital data; establishment of an international protocol for injury severity assessment; and adoption of international criteria for establishing scales pertaining to the costs of injury.
Abstract