Changing the Language

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Dear List,

A valid point.

Any constituency for changing "trauma" to "injury" with "Injury Centres" and
"Injury Systems"?

How often have you heard the word trauma seamlessly interpreted as something
psychological?

Ian Civil

"Robert F. Smith" wrote:

> Dr. Ursic,
>
> As Dr. Mattox has often pointed out, we define ourselves by our words and
> language. I resist PC changes as much as the next guy: client vs. patient.
> However most injury prevention professionals would disagree with your
> position. Our profession is still struggling with a lot of  issues around
> education and advocacy. Relatively few people understand the word "trauma"
> or what a "trauma center" is. We have been unable to develop a constituency
> around the issue of intentional injury except in pockets like domestic
> violence or child abuse. The media has helped to create an unspoken feeling
> that those injured are more or less getting what they deserve. This is not a
> very productive mileu in which to develop and implement interventions that
> will make injury less likely. Many of the advances in traffic and automobile
> safety have come as engineering professionals became engaged in preventing
> fatalities and injury rather than just building fast cars to go on bad
> roads. In the perfect world, for every patient we see, we should look for
> opportunites to make future injuries for that person less likely. Otherwise
> we're just spinning our wheels.
>
> R. Smith
>
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