Is violence a disease? Situating violence prevention in public health policy and practice

•Violence poses a considerable public health problem through its direct and indirect effects on health.•Classification of violence as a disease falls short of capturing the complexity the problem.•A change of scope in public health is required to prevent violence through policy and practice.•Governments should be held accountable for the violence endemic in societies across the globe.

The paper provides a review of some of the thoughts, ideas, and opinions that pervade the public health literature concerning how to classify or conceptualise violence. It is argued that violence transcends classic distinctions between communicable and non-communicable diseases, distinguishes itself from the discipline of injury control, and is influenced by wider, social determinants. Through a discussion of these varied perspectives it is concluded that a fourth revolution in public health is needed – a ‘change in scope’ revolution – that recognizes the influence of social justice, economics, and globalization in the aetiology of premature death and ill health, into which violence fits. However, rather than be shackled by debates of definition or classification, it is important that public health acknowledges the role it can play in preventing violence through policy and practice, and takes unified action.