Reducing Trauma in the Youth of Australia

Abstract

As clinicians we know that injuries are often preventable, particularly those acquired through the toxic combination of alcohol and/or drugs and risk-related behaviour. The inaugural report of the Australian Trauma Registry (Alfred Health) shows that 15-25 year olds are the most likely to be admitted in an Australian designated trauma centre. Males were 3.8 times more likely to suffer major injuries than females. It also shows that approximately half of all trauma patient admissions are road-transport related. P.A.R.T.Y. (Prevent Alcohol and Risk-related Trauma in Youth) is one of many programs seeking to reduce the overrepresentation of youth in the trauma statistics. Unlike other programs with this goal however, P.A.R.T.Y. occurs in a hospital, not at a school or in a classroom and is led and delivered by clinical staff. The Program is a full day trauma prevention experience aimed at senior school students, young offenders, trainees and apprentices. It seeks to give participants a snapshot of the possible traumatic and often preventable consequences of risk-related behaviour through vivid clinical reality.