Skip directly to searchSkip directly to the site navigationSkip directly to the page's main content

Injury and Violence

Injury is a serious public health problem in New Mexico, claiming 2,674 lives in 2020. Unintentional injuries, which include chiefly unintentional poisoning, firearm injuries, transportation injuries, and falls, were the leading cause of death among children and adults age 1 through 44. Motor vehicle crashes were the leading cause of mortality among ages 1 through 24.
  1. Death certificate data, New Mexico Department of Health, Bureau of Vital Records and Health Statistics. Retrieved Mon, 14 March 2022 from the New Mexico Department of Health Indicator-Based Information System (NM-IBIS) for Public Health Web site: https://ibis.doh.nm.gov.«

Why It's Important

Injuries are the leading cause of death among persons aged 1-44 years, resulting in more than 187,000 deaths per year in the United States. An additional 31.7 million persons suffer a non-fatal injury requiring medical attention each year. In addition to the immediate physical consequence, injuries impact health by contributing to:

  • Premature death
  • Disability
  • Poor mental health
  • High medical costs
  • Lost productivity

  1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System (WISQARS), downloaded on 8/14/2014 from http://www.cdc.gov/injury/WISQARS/. «
  2. Finkelstein EA, Corso PS, Miller TR. Incidence and economic burden on injuries in the United States. New York: Oxford University Press, 2006 «

What Is Known

Injury data cover a broad array of topics. Here are some injury-related statistics for the United States:

  • Each year, injuries are responsible for:
    • More than 187,000 deaths.
    • More than 31.7 million emergency department visits.
    • More than 2.8 million hospitalizations.
    • $406 billion in medical care and lost productivity.
  • Intentional injuries account for 7% of all non-fatal injuries and 33% of injury-related fatalities.
  • Injuries are the leading cause of disability, regardless of age, gender, race/ethnicity, or socioeconomic status.

  1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System (WISQARS), downloaded on 8/14/2014 from http://www.cdc.gov/injury/WISQARS/. «

Who Is at Risk

There are many factors that can affect the risk of unintentional injury and violence:

  • Individual characteristics, such as education, age, and sex
  • Individual behaviors, such as alcohol use or risk-taking
  • Physical environment, such as safe homes and roadways
  • Social environment, such as relationships and community cohesion
  • Societal factors, such as cultural beliefs, laws, and regulations

How To Reduce Risk

The risk of injury can be reduced in a large number of ways. For unintentional injuries, prevention methods may include changes to the environment, improvements in technology and product safety, or legislation and enforcement of safety laws. For intentional injuries, prevention efforts may include changes in social norms surrounding violence, policy changes that address the social and economic conditions that are associated with violence, or improvements in skills such as conflict resolution and coping.

How It's Tracked

Injuries are tracked using a range of surveys, in addition to mortality statistics. Some examples include:

  • National Vital Statistics System (NVSS)
  • National Hospital Discharge Survey (NHDS)
  • Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS)
  • National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS)
  • Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBS)
  • National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS)
For more information on tracking tobacco use health objectives, please visit the Healthy People 2020 Injury and Violence Prevention objectives page here.