Injury Deaths - Women in California

California

Injuries are the leading cause of death among U.S. people ages 1-44. Injury prevention matters because of the lifelong impacts of injury and violence, including potential chronic illness or death. In 2019-2021, the most common mechanisms for injury deaths among women were poisoning, motor vehicle traffic and firearms. Injury deaths are associated with significant costs due to lives lost, medical expenses and other economic outlays. In 2019, the estimated cost of deaths due to injury was $2.2 trillion in the U.S. 

According to America’s Health Rankings data, the prevalence of deaths due to injury is higher among:

• Women ages 35-44 and 25-34 than women ages 20-24.
• American Indian/Alaska Native, Black and white women than Asian women, the group with the lowest prevalence. American Indian/Alaska Native women have a prevalence higher than all other groups and more than 12 times the rate of Asian women.

Women living in non-metro areas than women living in metro areas.

Addressing the leading causes of injury death can reduce the mortality rate among U.S. women. Overdose Data to Action is a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) program that addresses injury deaths related to drug overdoses. The program uses five key strategies: research, capacity building, provider support, partnership building and empowering consumers. Additionally, the Health Resources & Services Administration provides poisoning prevention tips for medicines, carbon monoxide, household products, chemicals and more. 

At the federal level, the U.S. Department of Transportation released the National Roadway Safety Strategy (NRSS) in 2022 in response to the recent rise in traffic fatalities. The NRSS aims to reduce avoidable deaths by preventing crashes and enhancing post-crash care to minimize harm in the event of an accident. At the state level, the CDC’s Core State Violence and Injury Prevention Program funds 23 state health departments to address issues related to injury and violence. This program has produced multiple successful state actions regarding suicide and motor vehicle injury deaths. The CDC also outlines specific strategies individuals can reference for staying safe on the road. 

Reducing the firearm death rate will take a concerted effort at the individual, community and policy levels. At the household level, gun owners can improve household gun safety by ensuring all guns inside the home are unloaded and locked away securely and keeping all lock combinations, codes and storage keys hidden. At the state level, policy recommendations include strengthening firearms legislation, particularly background checks and permit laws. 

Improving access to mental health resources can help prevent suicide. The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline provides free, confidential support for people in distress 24/7, everywhere in the U.S. Its website offers additional forms of crisis support, and the previous National Suicide Prevention Lifeline number (1-800-273-TALK(8255)) is still active.

Healthy People 2030 has the following goals related to injury deaths:

• Reducing fatal injuries.
• Reducing unintentional injury deaths.
• Reducing overdose deaths involving opioids. 
• Reducing deaths from motor vehicle crashes.
• Reducing firearm-related deaths.

Lee, Lois K., Eric W. Fleegler, Caitlin Farrell, Elorm Avakame, Saranya Srinivasan, David Hemenway, and Michael C. Monuteaux. 2017. “Firearm Laws and Firearm Homicides: A Systematic Review.” JAMA Internal Medicine 177 (1): 106. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamainternmed.2016.7051.