New Study Shows How Reducing Injury Deaths Could Increase Average Life Expectancy

New Study Shows How Reducing Injury Deaths Could Increase Average Life Expectancy

Without injury deaths, the average life expectancy at birth in the U.S. could be increased by 1.5 years, according to a report by CDC authors. The report analyzed injury data to understand how reducing injury deaths could impact population health in the U.S.

Key Findings

• The study found that average life expectancy at birth could be increased by approximately 1.5 years through the elimination of injury as a cause of death.
• During the period covered by this analysis, the lowest state-specific annualized rate for all injury deaths was 28.6% below the national rate (43.23 per 100,000 population in New York State compared to 60.58 per 100,000 nationally).
• If the national injury death rate could be brought into line with the lowest state-specific rate, the following would apply:
  • average life expectancy at birth could be increased by 0.41 years
  • an estimated 48,400 injury deaths and $61 billion in medical and work loss costs would be prevented annually.

Learn More

• Population Health Metrics: Increases in United States Life Expectancy through Reductions in Injury-Related Death
• CDC Injury Center Web Site