Injury: The Leading Cause of Death Among Persons 1-44

In 2007 in the United States, injuries, including all causes of unintentional and violence-related injuries combined, accounted for 51% of all deaths among persons ages 1-44 years of age – that is more deaths than non-communicable diseases and infectious diseases combined.

Injury Deaths Compared to Other Leading Causes of Death for Persons Ages 1-44, United States, 2007*

Injury Facts

• More than 180,000 deaths from injury each year — 1 person every 3 minutes1
• Leading cause of death for people ages 1-44 in the US1  
• More than 2.8 million people hospitalized with injury each year2
• More than 29 million people treated in Emergency Department for injury each year1
• More than $406 billion annually in medical costs and lost productivity3

*Note: Injury includes unintentional injury, homicide, suicide, legal intervention, and those of undetermined intent. Non-communicable diseases include cancer, cardiovascular, kidney, respiratory, liver, diabetes, and other diseases. Infectious diseases include HIV, influenza, pneumonia, tuberculosis, and other infectious diseases. Data Source: National Vital Statistics System using CDC Wonder (http://wonder.cdc.gov).