Editorial Editorial: Introducing the 2012 Volume of Epidemiologic Reviews on Injury and Violence

Injury remains a critical area of public health science and practice. Adding together mortality from all types of injuries, as when computing the mortality burden for cancers and cardiovascular diseases, injury is the third leading cause of death in the United States, accounting for more than 182,000 fatalities in 2007 (1). Because of its high impact among young people, injuries are responsible for more years of potential life lost than cancer and heart disease combined (1, 2). Severe funding limitations create serious challenges for advancing the field through surveillance, research, and intervention development and evaluation (2). These challenges are evident in the themes of the 14 articles in the special volume of Epidemiologic Reviews. One theme addresses gaps in surveillance coupled with some significant measurement issues. The paper byMcKenzi