Injuries:

• Are the leading cause of death and disability for the people of Washington State, ages 1-44.
• Remain a huge cause of death and disability throughout the life span.
• Kill more Americans ages 1-44 than all other disease combined.
• Do not occur at random.
• Occur in highly predictable patterns, with recognizable risk factors among identifiable populations.
• Cost an average of $1.1 million in medical and lost productivity for each injury death in Washington State.

What is Injury?

In public health practice, injury is damage or harm to the body resulting in impairment or destruction of health. Examples of physical injury include broken bones, cuts, brain damage, spinal cord injury, poisoning, and burns. Physical injury results from harmful contact between people, objects, or substances, in the environment.