Shadow Violence - "Violence by any other Name"
They may have different names, but they have the same results
Hunger and Poverty
In 2009, 85 percent of U.S. households were food secure throughout the entire year, and 14.7 percent of households were food insecure at least some time during that year, essentially unchanged from 14.6 percent in 2008. This remains the highest recorded prevalence rate of food insecurity since 1995 when the first national food security survey was conducted. U.S. Dept. of Agriculture USDA 2011
In 2009, 50.2 million people lived in food-insecure households, including 17.2 million children. Of these individuals, 12.2 million adults and 5.4 million children lived in households with very low food security. USDA 2011
Children's food security is affected to some extent in most food-insecure households. In 2009, 9 million children (12.1 percent of children) lived in households with food insecurity among children. However, children are usually protected from substantial reductions in food intake even in households with very low food security. In 2009, 988,000 children (1.3 percent of the Nation?s children) lived in households with very low food security among children. USDA 2011
925 million people do not have enough to eat - more than the populations of USA, Canada and the European Union combinded; World Food Programme wpa.org
Incurable Diseases
Cancer in 2010 - 564,290 Deaths. 1,529,560 Estimated New Cases. cancer.org
Diabetes January 26, 2011 - 25.8 million children and adults in the United States?8.3% of the population?have diabetes. In 2007, diabetes contributed to a total of 231,404 deaths. American Diabetes Association.
HIV/Aids - CDC estimates that more than one million people are living with HIV in the United States (U.S.) An estimated 56,300 Americans becoming infected with HIV each year.Through 2007, more than 576,000 people with AIDS in the U.S. have died since the epidemic began. aids.gov
Cardiovascular Diseases - Coronary heart disease, High blood pressure, Stroke, Heart Failure. Claimed 831,272 lives in 2006 (final mortality) (34.3 percent of all deaths or 1 of every 2.9 deaths). From 1996 to 2006, death rates from CVD declined 29.2 percent. In the same 10-year period the actual number of deaths declined 12.9 percent. American Heart Association.
Medicine, Medical Care and the Under Treated in the U.S.
As many as 98,000 people die each year from medical errors in that occur in hospitals. Thats more than die from motor vehicle accidents, breast cancer and AIDS - making medical errors the fifth leading cause of death in the country. Institute of Medicine 2000. Link
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that in 2008, about 43.8 million Americans had no health insurance. That number increased from about 41 million uninsured in 1997. Medical care can be quite costly, and people without insurance often have trouble affording the care they need. Some programs exist to help the uninsured access medical care, but sufficient help is not always available. Link
One billion people lack access to health care systems. Over 8 million children under the age of 5 die from malnutrition and mostly preventable diseases, each year. In 2002, almost 11 million people dies of infectious diseases alone. AIDS/HIV has spread rapidly. UNAIDS estimates for 2008 that there were roughly: 33.4 million living with HIV, 2.7 million new infections of HIV, 2 million deaths from AIDS. Tuberculosis kills 1.3 million people each year, with 9.4 million new casesa year. Malaria causes some 243 million acute illnesses and 863,000 deaths, annually. 2000 children per day in Africa die from malaria. 164,000 people, mostly children under 5, died from measles in 2008. An estimated 600,000 people die from typhoid each year. Link
Casualties and Confinement of Non U.S. Citizens in U.S. Deployment Areas
Iraqi/Enemy Combatant Military Casualties: Approximately 54,528 wikipedia.org
Iraqi Civilian Death by Violence 2003-2010: Approximately 104,523 iraqbodycount.org
Iraqi Displacement : As of November 4, 2006, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees estimated that 1.8 million Iraqis had been displaced to neighboring countries, and 1.6 million were displaced internally, with nearly 100,000 Iraqis fleeing to Syria and Jordan each month.
Iraq War Detainees: Approximately 12,200 wikipedia.org
Afghan Military Killed or Captured: Approximately 38,000 wikipedia.org Wounded Unknown
Afghan Civilian Casualties: Approximately 24,000 wikipedia.org
Afghan Displacement 2010 :There are now over 319,000 internally displaced people in Afghanistan, a number that has been rising over the past two years according to the United Nations. refugeesinternational.org
Total Killed, Wounded or captured both Wars (U.S. Excluded): Approximately 223,251
Total Displacement both Wars (U.S. Excluded): Approximately 2,139,000
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Transportation Deaths and Injuries
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Link
U.S. Fatalities Link
Type 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005
Vehicle Occupants 24,474 26,791 30,527 32,119 33,070
Motorcyclists 4,462 5,312 5,174 4,837 4,576
Pedestrian 4,092 4,414 4,699 4,795 4,892
Pedalcyclists 630 718 701 722 786
Other/Unknown 150 188 158 185 186
Total U.S. Fatalities 33,808 37,423 41,259 42,708 43,510
M.V. Injuries Only Link N/A 2,346,000 2,491,000 2,575,000 2,699,000
More than 2.3 million adult drivers and passengers were treated in emergency departments as the result of being injured in motor vehicle crashes in 2009. Link
Seat belts reduce serious crash-related injuries and deaths by about 50%. Link
Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death among those age 5-34 in the U.S. Link
Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for U.S. teens, accounting for more than one in three deaths in this age group. In 2009, eight teens ages 16 to 19 died every day from motor vehicle injuries. Link
Road traffic crashes are the world's leading cause of death for individuals between the ages of 15 and 29 years. Link
The number of motorcycle-related deaths increased every year between 1997 and 2008. Link
Between 2001 and 2008, more than 34,000 motorcyclists were killed and an estimated 1,222,000 persons were treated in a U.S. emergency department (ED) for a non-fatal motorcycle-related injury. Link
Helmets reduce the risk of head injury by 69%. In a motorcycle crash, an unhelmeted rider is 40% more likely to die from a head injury than someone wearing a helmet.
Motorcycles in fatal crashes had the highest proportion of collisions with fixed objects (25.2 percent), and large trucks in fatal crashes had the lowest proportion (3.5 percent). [Vehicles 2007]
Universal bicycle helmet use by children 4 - 15 would prevent 39,000 to 45,000 head injuries annually and 18,000 to 55,000 face and scalp injuries annually. Link
Study blames 2,200 deaths on traffic emissions. USA Today 05.11 Link
All Terrain Vehicles (ATVs with 3, 4 or Unknown Number of Wheels)
2009 2008 2007 2006 2005
ATV Fatalities U.S. 376 616 766 833 804 Link
ATV Injuries U.S. 131,900 135,100 150,900 146,600 136,7000 Link
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Climate Change
NASA.gov Link
Most climate scientists agree the main cause of the current global warming trend is human expansion of the "greenhouse effect" -- warming that results when the atmosphere traps heat radiating from Earth toward space.
Certain gases in the atmosphere block heat from escaping. Long-lived gases, remaining semi-permanently in the atmosphere, which do not respond physically or chemically to changes in temperature are described as "forcing" climate change whereas gases, such as water, which respond physically or chemically to changes in temperature are seen as "feedbacks."
Gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect include:
- Water vapor. The most abundant greenhouse gas, but importantly, it acts as a feedback to the climate. Water vapor increases as the Earth's atmosphere warms, but so does the possibility of clouds and precipitation, making these some of the most important feedback mechanisms to the greenhouse effect.
- Carbon dioxide (CO2). A minor but very important component of the atmosphere, carbon dioxide is released through natural processes such as respiration and volcano eruptions and through human activities such as deforestation, land use changes, and burning fossil fuels. Humans have increased atmospheric CO2 concentration by a third since the Industrial Revolution began. This is the most important long-lived "forcing" of climate change.
- Methane. A hydrocarbon gas produced both through natural sources and human activities, including the decomposition of wastes in landfills, agriculture, and especially rice cultivation, as well as ruminant digestion and manure management associated with domestic livestock. On a molecule-for-molecule basis, methane is a far more active greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide, but also one which is much less abundant in the atmosphere.
- Nitrous oxide. A powerful greenhouse gas produced by soil cultivation practices, especially the use of commercial and organic fertilizers, fossil fuel combustion, nitric acid production, and biomass burning.
- Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). Synthetic compounds of entirely of industrial origin used in a number of applications, but now largely regulated in production and release to the atmosphere by international agreement for their ability to contribute to destruction of the ozone layer. They are also greenhouse gases .
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What Causes Global Warming?
By National Geographic Link
Scientists have spent decades figuring out what is causing global warming. They've looked at the natural cycles and events that are known to influence climate. But the amount and pattern of warming that's been measured can't be explained by these factors alone. The only way to explain the pattern is to include the effect of greenhouse gases (GHGs) emitted by humans.
To bring all this information together, the United Nations formed a group of scientists called the International Panel on Climate Change, or IPCC. The IPCC meets every few years to review the latest scientific findings and write a report summarizing all that is known about global warming. Each report represents a consensus, or agreement, among hundreds of leading scientists.
In order to understand the effects of all the gases together, scientists tend to talk about all greenhouse gases in terms of the equivalent amount of CO2. Since 1990, yearly emissions have gone up by about 6 billion metric tons of "carbon dioxide equivalent" worldwide, more than a 20% increase.
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Top 10 Worst Effects of Global Warming
Discovery.com Link
10. Rising Sea Level - Earth's hotter temperature doesn't necessarily mean the Miami lifestyle is moving to the Arctic, but it does mean rising sea levels. How are hotter temperatures linked to rising waters? Hotter temperatures mean ice -- glaciers, sea ice and polar ice sheets -- is melting, increasing the amount of water in the world's seas and oceans.
9. Shrinking Glaciers - You don't need special equipment to see that glaciers around the world are shrinking. Tundra once covered with thick permafrost is melting with rising surface temperatures and is now coated with plant life.
8. Heat Waves - The deadly heat wave that swept across Europe in 2003, killing an estimated 35,000 people, could be the harbinger of an intense heat trend that scientists began tracking in the early 1900s.
7. Storms and Floods - Experts use climate models to project the impact rising global temperatures will have on precipitation. However, no modeling is needed to see that severe storms are happening more frequently: In just 30 years the occurrence of the strongest hurricanes -- categories 4 and 5 -- has nearly doubled.
6. Drought - While some parts of the world may find themselves deluged by increasing storms and rising waters, other areas may find themselves suffering from drought. As the climate warms, experts estimate drought conditions may increase by at least 66 percent. An increase in drought conditions leads quickly to a shrinking water supply and a decrease in quality agricultural conditions. This puts global food production and supply in danger and leaves populations at risk for starvation.
5. Disease - Warmer temperatures along with associated floods and droughts are encouraging worldwide health threats by creating an environment where mosquitoes, ticks, mice and other disease-carrying creatures thrive. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that outbreaks of new or resurgent diseases are on the rise and in more disparate countries than ever before, including tropical illnesses in once cold climates -- such as mosquitoes infecting Canadians with West Nile virus. While more than 150,000 people die from climate change-related sickness each year, everything from heat-related heart and respiratory problems to malaria are on the rise.
4. Economic Consequences - The costs associated with climate change rise along with the temperatures. Severe storms and floods combined with agricultural losses cause billions of dollars in damages, and money is needed to treat and control the spread of disease. Extreme weather can create extreme financial setbacks. For example, during the record-breaking hurricane year of 2005, Louisiana saw a 15 percent drop in income during the months following the storms, while property damage was estimated at $135 billion.
3. Conflicts and War - Declining amounts of quality food, water and land may be leading to an increase in global security threats, conflict and war. National security experts analyzing the current conflict in Sudan's Darfur region suggest that while global warming is not the sole cause of the crisis, its roots may be traced to the impact of climate change, specifically the reduction of available natural resources. The violence in Darfur broke out during a time of drought, after two decades of little-to-no rain along with rising temperatures in the nearby Indian Ocean.
2. Loss of Biodiversity - Species loss and endangerment is rising along with global temperatures. As many as 30 percent of plant and animal species alive today risk extinction by 2050 if average temperatures rise more than 2 to 11.5 degrees F (1.1 to 6.4 degrees C). Such extinctions will be due to loss of habitat through desertification, deforestation and ocean warming, as well as the inability to adapt to climate warming. Wildlife researchers have noted some of the more resilient species migrating to the poles, far north and far south to maintain their needed habitat; the red fox, for example, normally an inhabitant of North America, is now seen living in the Arctic.
1. Destruction of Ecosystems - Changing climatic conditions and dramatic increases in carbon dioxide will put our ecosystems to the test, threatening supplies of fresh water, clean air, fuel and energy resources, food, medicine and other matters we depend upon not just for our lifestyles but for our survival.
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The Sixth Extinction
"Last Chance to See" by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) Link
The world has experienced many periods of mass extinction caused by a variety of natural factors, but the greatest period of mass extinction the world has ever seen is occurring right now. It is reckoned that the current rate of extinction is between a hundred and a thousand times faster than the average historical extinction rate for the planet. The current period of extinction is known as the Holocene extinction event, sometimes referred to as the sixth extinction. Scientists estimate that during the last century between 20,000 and two million species have become extinct. However, the observed rate of extinction has accelerated dramatically in the last 50 years, linked almost exclusively to the activities of human beings. Some experts have estimated that up to half of presently existing species may become extinct by 2100. It is estimated that 99.9% of all species that have ever lived are now extinct.
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Tobacco Addiction
U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) National Institutes on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
Link
There are more than 4,000 chemicals found in the smoke of tobacco products. Of these, nicotine, first identified in the early 1800s, is the primary reinforcing component of tobacco.
The cigarette is a very efficient and highly engineered drug delivery system. By inhaling tobacco smoke, the average smoker takes in 1?2 mg of nicotine per cigarette. When tobacco is smoked, nicotine rapidly reaches peak levels in the bloodstream and enters the brain.
Economically, more than $96 billion of total U.S. health care costs each year are attributable directly to smoking.In addition to health care costs, the costs of lost productivity due to smoking effects are estimated at $97 billion per year, bringing a conservative estimate of the economic burden of smoking to more than $193 billion per year.
Immediately after exposure to nicotine, there is a "kick" caused in part by the drug?s stimulation of the adrenal glands and resulting discharge of epinephrine (adrenaline). The rush of adrenaline stimulates the body and causes an increase in blood pressure, respiration, and heart rate.
According to the 2007 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, an estimated 70.9 million Americans aged 12 or older reported current use of tobacco?60.1 million (24.2 percent of the population) were current cigarette smokers, 13.3 million (5.4 percent) smoked cigars, 8.1 million (3.2 percent) used smokeless tobacco, and 2 million (0.8 percent) smoked pipes, confirming that tobacco is one of the most widely abused substances in the United States. Although the numbers of people who smoke are still unacceptably high, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention there has been a decline of almost 50 percent since 1965.
Cigarette smoking kills an estimated 440,000 U.S. citizens each year—more than alcohol, illegal drug use, homicide, suicide, car accidents, and AIDS combined. Between 1964 and 2004, more than 12 million Americans died prematurely from smoking, and another 25 million U.S. smokers alive today will most likely die of a smoking-related illness. Link
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Harmful Effects of Other Drugs
Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Link
Alcohol
Alcohol goes directly into the bloodstream, physically affecting the whole body. Some illnesses and health problems caused by alcohol include:
- Hangovers. Headaches, nausea, vomiting, aches and pains all result from drinking too much. Drinking to the point of drunkenness makes you sick.
- Weight gain. Alcohol is not water. A beer has about 150 "empty" calories that provide few if any nutrients.
- High blood pressure. Along with being overweight, high blood pressure is associated with many serious health problems.
- Depressed immune system. Impaired immunity makes you more likely to contract viral illnesses such as flu and infections.
- Cancer. 2-4% of all cancer cases are related to alcohol. Upper digestive tract cancers are the most common, hitting the esophagus, mouth, larynx, and pharynx. Women who drink prior to menopause are more likely to develop breast cancer. Your risk of skin cancer doubles if you drink slightly more than "moderate levels." Some studies implicate alcohol in colon, stomach, pancreas and lung cancer. And let's not forget the liver...
- Liver disease. Heavy drinking can cause fatty liver, hepatitis, cirrhosis and cancer of the liver. The liver breaks down alcohol at the rate of only one drink per hour.
- Alcohol poisoning. Drinking large amounts can result in alcohol poisoning, which causes unconsciousness and even death. Breathing slows, and the skin becomes cold and may look blue. Don't let a person in this condition "sleep it off." Call 911.
- Heart or respiratory failure. Excessive drinking can have serious results. Heart or respiratory failure often means death.
Other long-term effects of heavy alcohol use include loss of appetite, vitamin deficiencies, stomach ailments, sexual impotence, central nervous system damage, and memory loss.
Finally, lets not forget alcoholism. Alcoholism is a disease to which some people seem predisposed. Alcoholics are unable to control their drinking--how much, when, and if. Alcoholism puts you at great risk for other health problems, and it can shorten your life by more than 10 years. Alcoholism cannot be cured, but it can be treated. Through education, treatment, and self-help support such as AA, people can learn to live alcohol-free and feel good.
Drugs
Like many prescription drugs, "recreational" drugs come with potentially harmful side effects that can have serious and long-term effects on your health.
High doses of many of the drugs, or impure or more dangerous subsitutes for these drugs, can cause immediate life-threatening health problems such as heart attack, respiratory failure, and coma. Combining drugs with each other or with alcohol is especially dangerous.
- Barbiturates and tranquilizers are commonly abused prescription drugs. They can cause hangover-like symptoms, nausea, seizures, and coma. Overdose or mixing these drugs with alcohol can be fatal.
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Cocaine can cause such long-term problems as tremors, seizures, psychosis, and heart or respiratory failure.
- LSD can cause nausea, rapid heart rate, depression, and disorientation. Long-term effects include paranoia and psychosis.
- Marijuana and hashish can cause rapid heart rate and memory impairment soon after use. Long-term effects include cognitive problems, infertility, weakened immune system, and possible lung damage.
- Narcotics such as heroin can bring on respiratory and circulatory depression, dizziness, impotence, constipation, and withdrawal sickness. Overdoses can lead to seizures and death.
- PCP, in addition to triggering unpredictable and violent behavior, can cause dizziness, numbness, high heart rate and blood pressure, convulsions, and in high amounts fatal heart and lung failure or ruptured blood vessels.
- Stimulants such as amphetamines have health effects that include high heart rate and blood pressure, headache, blurred vision, dizziness, impotence, skin disorders, tremors, seizures, and psychosis.
National Drug and Alcohol Abuse Helpline 1855-DRUG-REHAB (1855-378-4734)
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Adverse Drug Reactions (ADR)
CBS News 2006 Link
In a report today, the Journal of the American Medical Association estimates that 700,000 people a year, especially the elderly, experience adverse drug events that lead to emergency room visits. In patients 65 and older, 1/3 of the drug reactions were caused by three medicines: Coumadin a blood thinner, Insulin and Digoxin, a heart medication.
What is an adverse drug reaction? Adverse medication reactions include side effects, reactions between two or more medications or herbal supplements, reactions between a food and a medication, overmedication, and addiction.
Allergies. Some people have severe, sometimes life-threatening reactions to certain medications.
Medication interactions. These occur when two or more prescription or nonprescription medications or herbal supplements mix in a person's body and cause an adverse reaction.
Medication-food interactions. These occur when medications react with food. Some medications work best when taken with food, but others should be taken on an empty stomach. Some medication-food reactions can cause serious symptoms.
Overmedication. Sometimes the full adult dose of a medication is too much for small people and those over age 60.
Addiction. Long-term use of some medications can lead to dependency, and severe reactions may occur if the medications are withdrawn suddenly. Narcotics, tranquilizers, and barbiturates must be taken very carefully to prevent addiction.
What sorts of reactions to people have?
Indigestion, nausea, and vomiting.
Constipation or diarrhea.
Problems with urination.
Dry mouth.
Headache, dizziness, or ringing in the ears
Blurred or double vision.
Confusion, forgetfulness, disorientation, drowsiness, or depression.
Difficulty sleeping, irritability, or nervousness.
Difficulty breathing.
Rashes or bruising.
Bleeding problems.
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FDA.gov Link
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Being Under Prepared For Natural Disasters
Ten Deadliest Natural Disasters - U.S. Link
1. Hurricane Galveston - Sept. 8, 1900 - 8,000 Deaths
2. Hurricane Katrina - Aug. 29, 2005 - 1,836 Deaths
3. Dust Bowl - Early 1930's - 500,000 left Homeless
4. Great San Francisco Fire and Earthquake - April 18, 1906 - 3,000 Deaths - 225,000 left Homeless
5. Okeechobee Hurricane - September 16, 1928 - 2,500 Deaths
6. Heat Wave of 1980 - Summer of 1980 - 10,000 Deaths
7. Heat Wave of 1988 - Summer of 1988 - 5,000 - 10,000 Deaths
8. Johnstown Flood - May 31, 1889 - 2,209 Deaths
9. Peshtigo Fire - October 8, 1871- 1,200 Deaths
10. Tri-State Tornado - March 18, 1925 - 700 Deaths
Ten Deadliest Natural Disasters - World Link
Rank Event Location Date Death Toll (Estimate)
1. 1931 Yellow River flood Yellow River, China Summer 1931 850,000-4,000,000
2. 1887 Yellow River flood Yellow River, China September-October 1887 900,000-2,000,000
3. 1970 Bhola cyclone Ganges Delta, East Pakistan November 13, 1970 500,000-1,000,000
4. 1201 Earthquake Eastern Mediterranean 1201 1,000,000
5. 1938 Yellow River flood Yellow River, China June 9th, 1938 500,000 - 900,000
6. Shaanxi Earthquake Shaanxi Province, China January 23, 1556 830,000 7. 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake/tsunami Indian Ocean December 26, 2004 225,000-275,000
8. 1881 Haiphong Cyclone Haiphong, Vietnam 1881 300,000 9. 1642 Kaifeng Flood Kaifeng, Henan Province, China 1642 300,000
10. Tangshan Earthquake Tangshan, China July 28, 1976 242,000* *Official government figure. Estimated death toll as high as 655,000.
Emergency Weather Notification Links
National Weather Service Radio All Hazards U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) emergencyemail.org
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Possible Current Man-Made Problems and Future Dangers
Air Pollution - Scientific evidence is accumulating that supports the link between particulate matter in the air and premature mortality and poor health. Link
Ozone Layer - The scientific evidence, accumulated over more than two decades of study by the international research community, has shown that human-produced chemicals are responsible for the observed depletions of the ozone layer. Link
Global Warming - Most of the warming in recent decades is very likely the result of human activities. Average sea level worldwide is projected to rise up to two feet by the end of this century. This rise would eliminate approximately 10,000 square miles of land in the United States. Link
Biodiversity - The variety of animals, plants, their habitats and their genes - on which so much of human life depends, is one of the world�s most pressing crises. It is estimated that the current species extinction rate is between 1,000 and 10,000 times higher than it would naturally be. No other feature of the Earth has been so dramatically influenced by man�s activities. Link
Disease/Cancer - Individuals can take important steps in their own lives to reduce their exposure to environmental elements that increase risk for cancer and other diseases. Remove shoes before entering the home, wash work clothes separately. Filtering tap or well water, storing and carrying water in stainless steel, glass, or other BPA- and phthalate-free containers. Microwave food and beverages in ceramic or glass instead of plastics, reduce radiation from medical sources. Parents and child care providers should choose foods, house and garden products, play spaces, toys, medicines and medical tests that will minimize children's exposure to toxics. Link
Smoking - Cigarette smoking is the most important preventable cause of premature death in the United States. It accounts for more than 440,000 of the more than 2.4 million annual deaths. Link
Alcohol - 2.5 million people die from harmful use of alcohol a year. Link
Weight - Overweight and obesity result from an energy imbalance. This involves eating too many calories and not getting enough physical activity. Research has shown that as weight increases to reach the levels referred to as "overweight" and "obesity," the risks for the following conditions also increases: Coronary heart disease, Type 2 diabetes, cancers, Hypertension, Dyslipidemia, Stroke, Liver and Gallbladder disease, sleep apnea and respiratory problems, Osteoarthritis, Gynecological problems. Link
Suicide - Each year as many as 1,000,000 people are estimated to die by suicide across the globe; many, many more make nonfatal attempts. Link
Nuclear War - The risk of a child born today suffering an early death due to nuclear war is at least 10 percent Link
Violence - Each year, over 1.6 million people worldwide lose their lives to violence. Violence is among the leading causes of death for people aged 15-44 years worldwide, accounting for 14% of deaths among males and 7% of deaths among females. Link
Possible Future Natural Disasters - World Link
Asteroid Impact - In 1908 a 200-foot-wide comet fragment slammed into the atmosphere and exploded over the Tunguska region in Siberia, Russia, with nearly 1,000 times the energy of the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima. Astronomers estimate similar-sized events occur every one to three centuries.
Gamma-Ray Burst - gamma-ray bursts, astrophysicists recently learned, originate in distant galaxies and are unfathomably powerful- as much as 10 quadrillion (a one followed by 16 zeros) times as energetic as the sun. The bursts probably result from the merging of two collapsed stars. Before the cataclysmal event, such a double star might be almost completely undetectable, so we'd likely have no advance notice if one is lurking nearby. Once the burst begins, however, there would be no missing its fury.
Collapse of the Vacuum - As the universe expands and cools, tiny bubbles of this new kind of vacuum might appear and spread at nearly the speed of light. The laws of physics would change in their wake, and a blast of energy would dash everything to bits.
Rogue Black Holes - The black hole wouldn't have to come all that close to Earth to bring ruin; just passing through the solar system would distort all of the planets' orbits. Earth might get drawn into an elliptical path that would cause extreme climate swings, or it might be ejected from the solar system and go hurtling to a frigid fate in deep space.
Giant Solar Flares - Solar flares- more properly known as coronal mass ejections- are enormous magnetic outbursts on the sun that bombard Earth with a torrent of high-speed subatomic particles. Earth's atmosphere and magnetic field negate the potentially lethal effects of ordinary flares. But while looking through old astronomical records, Within a few hours, a superflare on the sun could fry Earth and begin disintegrating the ozone layer.
Reversal of Earth's Magnetic Field - Every few hundred thousand years Earth's magnetic field dwindles almost to nothing for perhaps a century, then gradually reappears with the north and south poles flipped. The last such reversal was 780,000 years ago, so we may be overdue. Worse, the strength of our magnetic field has decreased about 5 percent in the past century. The magnetic field deflects particle storms and cosmic rays from the sun, as well as even more energetic subatomic particles from deep space. Without magnetic protection, these particles would strike Earth's atmosphere, eroding the already beleaguered ozone layer.
Flood-Basalt Volcanism - Sixty-five million years ago, a plume of hot rock from the mantle burst through the crust in what is now India. Some scientists still blame the Indian outburst, not an asteroid, for the death of the dinosaurs. An earlier, even larger event in Siberia occurred just about the time of the Permian-Triassic extinction, the most thorough extermination known to paleontology. At that time 95 percent of all species were wiped out. We're ripe for another.
Global Epidemics - If Earth doesn't do us in, our fellow organisms might be up to the task. Germs and people have always coexisted, but occasionally the balance gets out of whack. The Black Plague killed one European in four during the 14th century; influenza took at least 20 million lives between 1918 and 1919; the AIDS epidemic has produced a similar death toll and is still going strong. From 1980 to 1992, reports the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, mortality from infectious disease in the United States rose 58 percent. ________________________________________________________________________________________
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Accidents U.S. (Non -Transport)
Drowning (CDC) Link
In 2007, there were 3,443 fatal unintentional drownings (non-boating related) in the United States, averaging ten deaths per day. An additional 496 people died from drowning in boating-related incidents.
More than one in five people who die from drowning are children 14 and younger.1 For every child who dies from drowning, another four received emergency department care for nonfatal submersion injuries.
Nonfatal drownings can cause brain damage that may result in long-term disabilities including memory problems, learning disabilities, and permanent loss of basic functioning (e.g., permanent vegetative state).
Children ages 1 to 4 have the highest drowning rates. In 2007, among children 1 to 4 years old who died from an unintentional injury, almost 30% died from drowning.1 Fatal drowning remains the second-leading cause of unintentional injury-related death for children ages 1 to 14 years.
Nearly 80% of people who die from drowning are male.
To help prevent water-related injuries: Supervision when in or around the Water. Buddy System. Learn to Swim. Learn Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR). Do Not Use Air-Filled or Foam Toys. Avoid Alcohol. Four-Sided Fencing. Clear the Pool and Deck of Toys. Know the local weather conditions and forecast before swimming or boating. Use U.S. Coast Guard approved life jackets when boating. Watch for dangerous waves and signs of rip currents. Know the meaning of and obey warnings represented by colored beach flags.
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Poisoning (CDC) Link
Every day, nearly 82 people die as a result of unintentional poisoning; another 1,941 are treated in emergency departments. Unintentional poisoning deaths in the United States increased by 145% from 1999 to 2007.
Unintentional poisoning was second only to motor vehicle crashes as a cause of unintentional injury death for all ages in 2007. Among people 35 to 54 years old, unintentional poisoning caused more deaths than motor vehicle crashes.
Between 2004 and 2005, an estimated 71,000 children (<18 years of age) were seen in EDs each year because of medication poisonings (excluding abuse and recreational drug use). Over 80 percent were because an unsupervised child found and consumed medicines.
In 2007, among children, ED visits for medication poisonings (excluding abuse and recreational drug use) are twice as common as poisonings from other household products (such as cleaning solutions and personal care products).
In 2007, 29,846 (74 percent) of the 40,059 poisoning deaths in the United States were unintentional, and 3,770 (9 percent) were of undetermined intent. Unintentional poisoning death rates have been rising steadily since 1992. In 2007, men were twice as likely than women to die. The peak age was 45-49 years of age.
In 2007, 93 percent of unintentional poisoning deaths were caused by drugs. Opioid pain medications, such as methadone, hydrocodone, or oxycodone, were most commonly involved, followed by cocaine and heroin.
In, 2007, among those treated in EDs for nonfatal poisonings involving nonmedical use of prescription or over-the-counter drugs in 2008, opioid pain medications and benzodiazepines (such as Valium) were used most frequently.5 Nonmedical use includes misuse, abuse or otherwise not taking a drug as prescribed.
In 2009, unintentional poisoning caused about 708,318 Emergency Department (ED) visits.
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Fires and Burns (CDC) Link
Deaths from fires and burns are the third leading cause of fatal home injury.
Most victims of fires die from smoke or toxic gases and not from burns.
In 2009, fire departments responded to 377,000 home fires in the United States, which claimed the lives of 2,565 people (not including firefighters) and injured another 13,050, not including firefighters.
On average in the United States in 2009, someone died in a fire every 175 minutes, and someone was injured every 31 minutes.
Approximately 4 out of 10 home fire deaths occur in homes without smoke alarms.
Smoking is the leading cause of fire-related deaths.
About 85% of all U.S. fire deaths in 2009 occurred in homes
Alcohol use contributes to an estimated 40% of residential fire deaths.
Most residential fires occur during the winter months.
Cooking is the primary cause of residential fires.
Every day, 435 children ages 0 to 19 are treated in emergency rooms for burn-related injuries and two children die as a result of being burned.
Younger children are more likely to sustain injuries from scald burns that are caused by hot liquids or steam, while older children are more likely to sustain injuries from flame burns that are caused by direct contact with fire.
Fire Prevention: Link
Never leave food unattended on a stove.
Keep cooking areas free of flammable objects (such as, potholders and towels).
Avoid wearing clothes with long, loose-fitting sleeves when cooking.
Never smoke in bed or leave burning cigarettes unattended.
Do not empty smoldering ashes in a trash can, and keep ashtrays away from upholstered furniture and curtains.
Never place portable space heaters near flammable materials (such as, drapery).
Keep all matches and lighters out of reach of children. Store them up high, preferably in a locked cabinet.
Install smoke alarms on every floor of the home, including the basement, and particularly near rooms in which people sleep.
Use long-life smoke alarms with lithium-powered batteries and hush buttons, which allow persons to stop false alarms quickly. If long-life alarms are not available, use regular alarms, and replace the batteries annually.
Test all smoke alarms every month to ensure they work properly.
Devise a family fire escape plan and practice it every 6 months. In the plan, describe at least two different ways each family member can escape every room, and designate a safe place in front of the home for family members to meet after escaping a fire.
If possible, install or retrofit fire sprinklers into home.
Fire & Burns Links
National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) - Public Education
Safe Kids Worldwide
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission - Fire Safety Publications
Protect the Ones You Love: Burns
U.S. Fire Administration - Home Fire Safety
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Falls
Children (CDC) Link
Falls are the leading cause of non-fatal injuries for all children ages 0 to 19. Every day, approximately 8,000 children are treated in U.S. emergency rooms for fall-related injuries. This adds up to almost 2.8 million children each year.
Each year in the United States, emergency departments treat more than 200,000 children ages 14 and younger for playground-related injuries.
About 45% of playground-related injuries are severe–fractures, internal injuries, concussions, dislocations, and amputations.
About 75% of nonfatal injuries related to playground equipment occur on public playgrounds. Most occur at schools and daycare centers.
Between 1990 and 2000, 147 children ages 14 and younger died from playground-related injuries. Of them, 82 (56%) died from strangulation and 31 (20%) died from falls to the playground surface. Most of these deaths (70%) occurred on home playgrounds.
On public playgrounds, more injuries occur on climbers than on any other equipment.
On home playgrounds, swings are responsible for most injuries.
Prevention (CDC) Link
Play safely. Check to make sure playground equipment your child uses is properly designed and maintained and there’s a safe, soft landing surface below.
Make home safety improvements. Use home safety devices, such as guards on windows that are above ground level, stair gates, and guard rails. These devices can help keep a busy, active child from taking a dangerous tumble.
Keep sports safe. Make sure your child wears protective gear when playing active sports, such as wrist guards, knee and elbow pads, and a helmet when in-line skating.
Supervision is key. Supervise young children at all times around fall hazards, such as stairs and playground equipment, whether you’re at home or out to play.
Older Adults (CDC) Link
One out of three adults age 65 and older falls each year.
Among those age 65 and older, falls are the leading cause of injury death. They are also the most common cause of nonfatal injuries and hospital admissions for trauma.
In 2007, over 18,000 older adults died from unintentional fall injuries.
In 2007, 81% of fall deaths were among people 65 and older.
Men are more likely to die from a fall. After adjusting for age, the fall fatality rate in 2007 was 46% higher for men than for women.
The death rates from falls among older men and women have risen sharply over the past decade.
In 2009, 2.2 million nonfatal fall injuries among older adults were treated in emergency departments and more than 581,000 of these patients were hospitalized.
Prevention:
Exercise regularly. It’s important that the exercises focus on increasing leg strength and improving balance. Tai Chi programs are especially good.
Ask their doctor or pharmacist to review their medicines—both prescription and over-the counter—to reduce side effects and interactions that may cause dizziness or drowsiness.
Have their eyes checked by an eye doctor at least once a year and update their eyeglasses to maximize their vision.
Make their homes safer by reducing tripping hazards, adding grab bars and railings, and improving the lighting in their homes.
Additional ways to lower hip fracture risk include:
- Getting adequate calcium and vitamin D in your diet.
- Undertaking a program of weight bearing exercise.
- Getting screened and treated for osteoporosis.
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Workplace Injuries
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Link
A preliminary total of 4,340 fatal work injuries were recorded in the United States in 2009, down from a final count of 5,214 fatal work injuries in 2008. Economic factors played a major role in the fatal work injury decrease in 2009. Link
Total hours worked fell by 6 percent in 2009 following a 1 percent decline in 2008.
Workplace homicides declined 1 percent in 2009, in contrast to an overall decline of 17 percent for all fatal work injuries.
The preliminary workplace homicide count for 2009 (521 cases) represents a decline of about half from the high of 1,080 homicides reported in 1994. Workplace suicides declined 10 percent from a series high of 263 cases in 2008 to 237 cases in 2009. However, this 2009 preliminary count of workplace suicides is the second highest annual total reported by the fatality census.
Fatal falls declined 12 percent in 2009 (from 700 in 2008 to 617 in 2009). Overall, fatal falls are down 27 percent from the series high of 847 fatal falls reported in 2007. About half of all fatal falls occur in construction, so the decline in overall construction activity and employment since 2007 may account for the lower number of fatal falls over the past 2 years.
Overall, 90 percent of the fatal work injuries involved workers in private industry.
Slightly more than one-half of the 3.3 million private industry injury and illness cases reported nationally in 2009 were of a more serious nature that involved days away from work, job transfer, or restriction. Link
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Leading Causes of Death Per Year - U.S. (CDC) Link
Heart disease: 616,067
Cancer: 562,875
Stroke (cerebrovascular diseases): 135,952
Chronic lower respiratory diseases: 127,924
Accidents (unintentional injuries): 123,706
Alzheimer's disease: 74,632
Diabetes: 71,382
Influenza and Pneumonia: 52,717
Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome, and nephrosis: 46,448
Septicemia: 34,828
Total of Deaths Listed: 1,846,531
Source: Deaths: Final Data for 2007, table B
Leading Causes of Death Per Year - World (WHO) Link
| World |
Deaths in millions |
% of deaths |
|
|
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| Coronary heart disease |
7.20 |
12.2 |
|
| Stroke and other cerebrovascular diseases |
5.71 |
9.7 |
|
| Lower respiratory infections |
4.18 |
7.1 |
|
| Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease |
3.02 |
5.1 |
|
| Diarrhoeal diseases |
2.16 |
3.7 |
|
| HIV/AIDS |
2.04 |
3.5 |
|
| Tuberculosis |
1.46 |
2.5 |
|
| Trachea, bronchus, lung cancers |
1.32 |
2.3 |
|
| Road traffic accidents |
1.27 |
2.2 |
|
|
Prematurity and low birth weight
|
1.18
|
2.0
|
Total of Deaths Listed: 29,540,000
2004 World Health Organization
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