Cost of injury in the United States: A report to Congress

This report contains the results of the study evaluated the magnitude of the impact of injury on individuals, government programs, and society at large in terms of economic cost and of the effects of Injury on people's lives.

Abstract

In 1987, Congress directed that research be conducted to evaluate the impact of injury and associated disability on the United States. This report contains the results of that study. The study evaluated the magnitude of the impact of injury on individuals, government programs, and society at large in terms of economic cost and of the effects of injury on people's lives. Comprehensive data on incidence, cause, severity, lifetime cost, life year and productivity losses, and source of funds disaggregated by age and sex are presented. The following topics are addressed: Number of people in the United States who are injured and number who die due to injury annually; Aggregate lifetime and per person cost to society of injury; Long-term cost of treatment and rehabilitation of injuries; Years of life lost due to the disabling effects of injury and premature death; Age groups most affected by injury; Number of persons injured from the major causes of injury and associated cost; Number of persons fatally injured, hospitalized, and nonhospitalized and associated cost; Burden of injury cost by source of payment; Valuing pain and suffering; Potential savings from preventive intervention strategies; Federal government investment in research on prevention and control of injury relative to research dollars spent for the other leading causes of death; Life-long consequences of injury to injured persons and their families; and Recommendations emerging from the study for the prevention, control, and further research on the incidence and cost of injury. A Glossary and an Index are provided.