The elderly/disabled persons safety group has the following goals:

The traffic safety group has the following goals:

• Work in the spirit of "zero mortality" within the built-up area - a new attitude towards traffic behaviour.
• Increase the evaluation of traffic safety.
• Work on co-ordination of traffic accident prevention work.
• Increase the use of bicycle helmets, protective car equipment and reflectors.
• Present statistics and inform about traffic accidents.

"Olyckskorpen", local risk phone line

• Invites the public to report accident risks in their vicinity to the technical office which decides later how to treat the matter.

The exercise/sports safety group has the following goals:

• Instruct the leaders of associations and those who participate in sports and training how to avoid injuries.
• Educate the pupils and sports teachers in secondary schools how to avoid injuries and education in first aid.
• Give an adequate swimming-training to all pupils.

Work places:

"Accidents" (non-intentional injuries) in the following injury areas:

Violence prevention (intentional injuries): see Children/youth safety.

Suicide prevention (self-inflected injuries): No

Programmes aiming at "High risk groups": The programme covers all ages, environments and situations. In the application of the programme especial concern is given for high-risk groups (e.g. children and elderly) and high-risk environments (e.g. home and traffic). The work aims at ensuring justice for vulnerable groups.

Surveillance of injuries: Primary Care and County Medical Care.
Numbers per year: approx. 750.
Population base: 13.200 inhabitants.
Started year: 1992.

Publications: --

Produced information material, pamphlets:
There is information material about the structure and activities of the different work groups. A report and exhibition concerning the wearing of bicycle helmets among local government employees and county council employees. Information about traffic safety in the form of exhibition and brochure. A check list has been made to help in the work with accident prevention among the elderly etc.

International commitments:
We have informed Tukums in Latvia, the municipality's sister community, about our injury prevention programme during the autumn of 1997. From 1 January 1998 they are starting the registration of injuries at Tukums hospital.
After analysing the registration they plan to take measures to reduce the number of accidents with the help of cross-sectional work groups.

Staff

Public Health Council
Established in 1997. (A leading group, established in 1993 with representatives from the municipality, county council and social insurance office existed earlier).
The activity is led by a public health council comprised of politicians, whose members are representatives from the municipality's committees and the county council's public health and medical care committee.
The public health council is responsible for analysing, co-ordinating and evaluating the work.

Work group
Consists of those responsible for consultative groups, the public health planner, a representative from the municipality's development unit and from the social insurance office.
The group is responsible for implementing the public health work in practice, co-ordinating the work, exchanging ideas and experience and inspiring further work.
Established in 1993.

Consultative group - Children/youth safety
Professions: Further education co-ordinator, school nurse, consumer secretary, teacher, assistant for child welfare, traffic informant, assistant headmaster (all from the municipality of Tidaholm).
The police, district nurse and adult school educational association.
Established in 1994.

Consultative group - Elderly/disabled persons safety.
Professions: Chief administrative nurse, education leader, occupational therapist (the Municipality of Tidaholm).
Voluntary organisations: PRO (the Pensioners' National Organization), SPF (the Swedish Pensioners' Association), DHR (the National Association of Disabled Persons)
Established in 1994.

Consultative group - Traffic safety.
A local traffic safety institution that includes the technical office, the police and voluntary organisations as MHF (the Drivers Total abstainer Association), PRO(the Pensioners' National Organization), DHR (the National Association of Disabled Persons), TCA(Tidaholm's Bicycle Amateurs), SRF( the National Association of Persons with Defective Vision) etc.
Established in 1994.

Consultative group - Exercise/sports safety.
Recreation manager and sports teacher (the municipality of Tidaholm)
Physiotherapist (the primary care centre)
SISU ( the Sports Educational Association)
Established in 1994.

For further information contact:
Helena Unosson
Public Health Unit in Tidaholm, Skaraborg County Council
Box 305
SE-522 26 Tidaholm
Sweden
Phone: +46-502-181-83
Fax: +46 502 181 41