A cross-sectional, community-based study of injuryrnwas conducted in Bahir-Dar Zuria Woreda between Octoberrnand December 1993. A study population of 13,286 wasrnsurveyed in five randomly selected kebeles, three ofrnwhich were rural and two urban. A four-week recallrnperiod was used to estimate an incidence of injury of 550rnper 1000 per year.rnThe most common injuries were due to cutting andrnpiercing objects or other mechanical injury (61.2%),rnanimal injury (11.2%) and falls (10%). The home and itsrnimmediate environment were the main sites of occurrencernof injury (52.7%), followed by roads or paths (21%) andrnfarms (16.4%). Lower and upper extremities were the bodyrnparts affected in 48% and 29% of cases respectively.rnOver 81% of injuries in adults were occupational.rnAge and sex were found to be risk factors forrninjury, with males at higher risk of injuries thanrnfemales (ratio of 1.8: 1) . Injury incidence increasedrnsignificantly with increasing age. Children under fivernwere at greater risk of falls and burn injuries. Urbanrnresidents, farmers, those who reported alcoholrnintoxication in the last month, and those owning nornanimals were also at significantly increased risk ofrninjury.rnvrnTreatment was obtained for 33% of injuries, of whichrn38% were treated at home, 26% treated in out-patientrnheal th facilities, and five percent admitted to hospital.rnThe average expenditure for medical care, includingrntransport, of injured persons was 16 birr ($US 2.58).rnOver 35% of injuries resulted in one or more days ofrnrestricted activity, with an average duration ofrndisability of 10 days. Based on the discounted healthyrnyears of life (DHLYs) lost due to injury mortality andrndisability in the study population, it is estimated thatrnannual national losses for treatment and lostrnproductivity are in excess of EtB one billion (US$17lrnmillion) . The ratio of indirect to direct costs ofrninjury was 11:1.rnIni tial strategies for prevention and control ofrnthis neglected public health problem are recommendedrnbased on the study findings. A comprehensive nationalrninjury control program will require multi sectoralrnapproaches and intervention from the national to therncommunity level.