The current epidemic of violence in America threatens not only our physical health but also the integrity of basic social institutions such as the family, the communities in which we live, and our health care system. Public health brings a new vision of how Americans can work together to prevent violence. This new vision places emphasis on preventing violence before it occurs, making science integral to identifying effective policies and programs, and integrating the efforts of diverse scientific disciplines, organizations, and communities. A sustained effort at all levels of society will be required to successfully address this complex and deeply rooted problem.
PIP: Violence is a major contribution to premature death, disability, and injury. In America, there is an epidemic of violence, which threatens not only the physical health, but also the integrity of basic social institutions such as the family, the communities, and the health care system of the public. In this paper, the new vision for violence prevention embodied in the public health approach is discussed. It shifts the focus of the society in the way violence is addressed, from reacting to the problem to changing the social, behavioral, and environmental factors that cause violence. The emphasis is on preventing violence before it occurs, making science integral in identifying effective policies and programs, and integrating the efforts of diverse scientific disciplines, organizations, and communities. A sustained and coordinated effort to prevent violence will be necessary at all levels of society to address this complex and deeply rooted problem.