World Trauma Day Date in the current year: October 17, 2024

The word trauma has several meanings. A lot of people primarily associate it with psychological trauma – an emotional response to a distressing event – but this term also can refer to a sudden physical injury that is caused by an external force and, in case of major trauma, can lead to disability or death.

According to statistics, major trauma is one of the top ten leading causes of death and significant disability worldwide. About 10% of all deaths (approximately 5 million people every year) are caused by trauma; about half of them are in people between the ages of 15 to 45. Males are affected by injury more than females, supposedly because they are much more prone to engaging in risk-taking activities.

The leading causes of disability and death from major injuries are blunt (non-penetrating) trauma, car accidents, and falls, following by penetrating trauma (for example, stab wounds and gunshot wounds). Blunt trauma is one of major causes of disability and death in people aged 35 or younger worldwide.

The good news is that trauma is a preventable cause of death. While it is impossible to eliminate all accidents, there are ways to prevent or at least reduce the severity of trauma caused by accidents. Injury prevention is a major component of public health and safety; its main types include traffic and automobile safety, pedestrian safety, home safety, and occupational safety. Another aspect of reducing disability and death caused by major trauma is the development of emergency response and pre-hospital care system, as well as highlighting the importance of bystander involvement in emergency situations.

World Trauma Day was first observed in India in 2011. An event was held in the country’s capital of New Delhi to raise awareness of an extremely high death rate from road traffic accidents in India (an estimate of more than 400 people per day). Since then, World Trauma Day has been observed annually to raise awareness about trauma as one of the leading causes of disability and death.

World Trauma Day events aim to educate people about the causes and effects of traumatic events, as well as ways to prevent traumatic injuries and assist others during a traumatic event (many countries in the world have so-called Good Samaritan laws in place, which prevent bystanders who voluntarily help a stranger in peril from getting sued for unintentional injury or wrongful death).

How can you observe World Trauma Day? There are many ways to participate. You can attend a World Trauma Day event near you or join a virtual event, learn whether your country has Good Samaritan laws or duty to rescue laws, donate blood, sign up for a first aid and emergency response course, or even become a volunteer first responder. And don’t forget to spread the word about the holiday on social media with the hashtag #WorldTraumaDay.