Victorian Injury Surveillance Unit (VISU)

Abstract

Access to quality injury surveillance data provides immense research potential and is crucial to the development of effective injury prevention and safety promotion.

The Victorian Injury Surveillance Unit (VISU) has been analysing, interpreting and disseminating Victorian data on injury deaths, hospital admissions and emergency department presentations across the state, nationally and internationally for more than 25 years.

Data are used to underpin government injury prevention policies, stimulate research and to develop and evaluate prevention strategies and measures. These include community awareness initiatives and education, legislative and regulatory changes and safety-related environmental, equipment and product design improvements.

This critical information is provided to around 250 organisations and agencies each year, including Commonwealth, state and local government departments and agencies, health and injury prevention organisations, media, business and industry, education institutes, research groups and the community.

Hazard is produced by the Victorian Injury Surveillance Unit at MUARC.

The bi-annual publication has been a popular and important vehicle for the widespread and timely dissemination of injury prevention information since 1988.

Issues reviewed in Hazard are chosen because of a combination of the severity, frequency and preventability of the injury type and government and community interest in the topic. Hazard also highlights emerging injury issues.