Injuries in the United States

Injuries are the leading cause of death among young people aged 1-19. Unintentional injuries cause 2/3 of the injury deaths in the U.S. Half of these deaths occur to youth ages 15-19.

In 1996, approximately 13,000 individuals under age 20 died from unintentional injuries. These were largely caused by motor vehicle crashes, drownings, and residential fires. This means that in 1996 there were 250 unintentional injury deaths per week, or 37 per day.

There are different kinds of injuries, such as motor vehicles , burns and scalds, drownings, falls, and poisoning.

Attention to unintentional injuries is important because most of these deaths can be prevented (see Prevention of Unintentional Injuries in this website). Rates of unintentional injuries have been declining over the past two decades because methods of prevention are now available. However, 1/3 of current injuries result from causes for which there are proven prevention methods (see Evidence: Injury Prevention in this website) (1).

Disparities exist among young people at risk for injury. It has been shown that poor and minority children experience injuries more often than white, wealthier children (1). American Indians and Alaska Natives experience the highest unintentional injury mortality, followed by African Americans and Hispanics. Risk for injury is not so much related to race but to socioeconomic factors, such as education and income, that are related to race (1).

The poorest children are at almost twice the risk (87%) of dying from injuries as the wealthiest children (2). Neighborhood factors may also play a role in injury risk. Simply living in a deprived neighborhood increases a child’s risk of injury, regardless of family circumstances (3a, 3b, 3c). Other groups more at risk for injuries include adolescents aged 15-19 and males. In addition, some injuries are more common in rural areas (1).

It is much more common to experience an injury in which one doesn’t die. There are approximately 18 injury-related hospitalizations and 233 injury-related emergency department visits per 1 injury-related death.

In 1996, unintentional injuries cost $14 billion in lifetime medical spending. Medical costs do not reflect another important cost of injury: the amount lost in the present and future potential work force. Adults miss work opportunities because they are required to stay home to care for injured children and injured children will not be able to fulfill their projected work potential.

When a child suffers from a nonfatal injury, caregiver work losses typically cost more than medical costs. This is evidenced by the amount of work lost in 1996, at $66 billion.

Injuries can also result in a loss of quality of life and immense emotional stress for families and those affected by injuries. In 1996, youth injuries resulted in a loss of an estimated 27 million QALYs (Quality Adjusted Life Years) that are the equivalent to about 92,000 child deaths (1).

What happens after an injury? (See Injury Management within this website)

References:

1.  The Future of Children Journal, David and Lucille Packard Foundation.

2.  Singh and Yu, 1996 in Hussey, J. 1997. The Effects of Race, Socioeconomic Status, and Household Structure on Injury Mortality in Children and Young Adults. Maternal and Child Health Journal 1(4): 217-227.

3.  Hayes, R., Reading, R., and Gale, S. 2003. Household and Neighborhood Risks for Injury to 5-14-year-old Children. Social Science and Medicine 57: 625-636,

a.  Cubbin, LeClere, Smith, 2000;

b.  O’Campo, Rao, Gielen, Royalty, Wilson, 2000;

c.  Reading, Langford, Haynes, Lovett, 1999.

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Page last updated: 06/15/2006

ACT for Health, Adolescent and Child Targets for Health Foundation, Inc., is an educational and charitable non-profit, non-governmental organization, tax-exempt under Section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code.