Centers for Disease Control and Prevention


About N C H S graphic and link
Información en Español
Fastats A-Z provides health statistics and links to additional sources of information
N C H S help graphic and link
Coming Events graphic and link
Surveys and Data Collection Systems graphic and link
National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey graphic and link
National Health Care Survey graphic and link
National Health Interview Survey graphic and link
National Immunization Survey graphic and link
Longitudinal Studies of Aging (LSOAs)
National Survey of Family Growth graphic and link
State and Local Area Integrated Telephone Survey graphic and link
National Vital Statistics System graphic and link
Initiatives graphic and link
Aging Activities graphic and link
Disease Classification graphic and link
Healthy People graphic and link
Injury graphic and link
Research and Development graphic and link
Research Data Center
NCHS Press Room
News Releases graphic and link
Publications and Information Products graphic and link
Statistical Export and Tabulation System
Listserv graphic and link
Graphic and link to FEDSTATS and other sites
Download graphic
Adobe Acrobat Reader graphic and link
PowerPoint Viewer 2003 graphic and link
National Center for Health Statistics 3311 Toledo Road Hyattsville, Maryland 20782
Toll Free Data Inquiries 1-800-232-4636
 CDC Home Search Health Topics A-Z
NCHS home page graphic and link

National Vital Statistics System
NCHS Home | NVSS Home | Birth Data | Mortality Data
Fetal Death Data | Marriages and Divorces
Linked Births/Infant Deaths | NSFG | NMFS | NMIHS | National Death Index
2003 Revisions of the US Vital Certificates
| CDC/NCHS Privacy Policy Notice
Accessibility | Search NCHS |
NCHS Definitions | Contact us

 

N V S S logo
National Mortality Followback Survey
About the Program | New Releases | Data Highlights | Methods
Publications | Micro-data | Contacts | Links to Related Sites

 

Circumstances of Injuries

According to data reported from death certificates, more than one-quarter of deaths due to homicide, suicide, and accidental injury involved the use of firearms (28 percent). Another 26 percent of deaths due to these causes involved motor vehicles.

Number and percent distribution of decedents dying from external (E-coded) underlying cause by mechanism of injury: United States, 1993

Mechanism of injury Number Percent Standard
error of
percent
95 percent
confidence
interval
(+/- percent)
All mechanisms 142,000 100.0 0.0000 0.0
  Cut or pierce 4,000 2.9 0.2047 0.4
  Drown or submersion 5,000 3.4 0.7119 1.4
  Falls 11,000 7.4 0.3043 0.6
  Fire or flames 4,000 2.5 0.1918 0.4
  Firearms 39,000 27.7 0.5019 1.0
  Motor vehicle 37,000 26.2 0.3436 0.7
  Poisonings 16,000 11.2 0.8849 1.7
  Struck by/against 1,000 0.9 0.1286 0.3
  Suffocation 9,000 6.3 0.3051 0.6
  Other/unspecified 16,000 11.6 0.4352 0.9

NOTES: Excludes deaths due to external causes to persons under 15 years of age and those external deaths occurring in South Dakota. Figures may not add to totals due to rounding. Standard errors are estimated using the statistical software package SUDAAN.
SOURCE: NCHS, National Mortality Followback Survey -- provisional data, 1993.

When proxy respondents were asked about circumstances related to deaths of persons who died from homicide, suicide, or accidental injuries, the following were reported: 10 percent of the decedents died while at work; 21 percent of the deaths involved the use of firearms; 19 percent of the decedents had an alcoholic beverage within 4 hours of death; and 17 percent of the decedents had taken drugs or medication within 24 hours of death.

Number and percent of decedents dying of external causes (homicide, suicide, accidental injury) by selected circumstances as report by proxy respondents: United States, 1993

Circumstance Number Percent1 Standard
error of
percent
95 percent
confidence
interval
(+/- percent)
Working at time of death 17,000 10.0 0.7620 1.5
Firearm involvement 36,000 21.4 0.8275 1.6
Drank alcoholic beverage within 4 hours of death 27,000 18.6 1.0169 2.0
Took or used drugs within 24 hours of death 22,000 16.6 0.8446 1.7

1 Percent working and where firearms were involved based on 166,000 decedents dying of external causes.   Percent using alcohol based on 143,000 decedents who drank and died of external causes. Percent using drugs based on 131,000 decedents who used drugs and died of external causes.
NOTES: Excludes deaths to persons under 15 years of age and those deaths occurring in South Dakota.  Standard errors are estimated using the statistical software package SUDAAN.
SOURCE: NCHS, National Mortality Followback Survey -- provisional data, 1993.

Of the 36,000 deaths where firearm involvement was reported by the proxy respondents, the use of handguns was reported for 72 percent of these deaths.

Number and percent distribution of decedents dying of external causes (homicide, suicide, accidental injury) where firearms were reported by proxy respondents to have been involved by type of firearm: United States, 1993

Type of firearm Number Percent Standard
error of
percent
95 percent
confidence
interval
(+/- percent)
All firearms 36,000 100.0 0.0000 0.0
Handgun 26,000 72.5 1.1005 2.2
Shotgun 5,000 13.9 0.8771 1.7
Rifle 3,000 9.1 0.7349 1.4
Military firearm Z1 0.1 0.0689 0.1
Other 2,000 4.4 0.4505 0.9

1Z represents less than 500 decedents.
NOTES: Excludes deaths to persons under 15 years of age and those deaths occurring in South Dakota.  Figures may not add to totals due to rounding. Standard errors are estimated using the statistical software package SUDAAN.
SOURCE: NCHS, National Mortality Followback Survey -- provisional data, 1993.

Decedents dying of motor vehicle injuries were reported to have been the driver in 65 percent of the fatal accidents. One-third of the decedents were reported as not wearing safety belts.

Number and percent distribution of decedents who died of motor vehicle injuries by selected circumstances as reported by proxy respondents: United States, 1993 

Circumstances Number Percent Standard
error of
percent
95 percent
confidence
interval
(+/- percent)
Decedent’s role in accident:
Total 30,000 100.0 0.0000 0.0
Driver 19,000 65.3 0.9684 1.9
Passenger 7,000 23.3 0.8067 1.6
Pedestrian 3,000 11.4 0.6262 1.2
Type of vehicle:
Total 27,000 100.0 0.0000 0.0
Passenger car or van 19,000 71.7 1.0111 2.0
Motorcycle 2,000 7.7 0.5930 1.2
Truck 5,000 17.4 0.8519 1.7
Other 1,000 3.2 0.4241 0.8
Wearing safety belt:
Total 25,000 100.0 0.0000 0.0
Yes 9,000 38.2 1.1412 2.2
No 8,000 33.4 1.1126 2.2
Don’t know 7,000 28.4 1.1094 2.2

NOTES: Excludes deaths to persons under 15 years of age and those deaths occurring in South Dakota.  Figures may not add to totals due to rounding. Standard errors are estimated using the statistical software package SUDAAN.
SOURCE: NCHS, National Mortality Followback Survey -- provisional data, 1993.

 

National Mortality Followback Survey
About the Program | New Releases | Data Highlights | Methods
Publications | Micro-data | Contacts | Links to Related Sites

 


NCHS Home | NVSS Home | Birth Data | Mortality Data
Fetal Death Data | Marriages and Divorces
Linked Births/Infant Deaths | NSFG | NMFS | NMIHS | National Death Index
2003 Revisions of the US Vital Certificates
| CDC/NCHS Privacy Policy Notice
Accessibility | Search NCHS |
NCHS Definitions | Contact us


CDC Home | Search | Health Topics A-Z

This page last reviewed January 11, 2007

H H S Health and Human Services logo and link
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
National Center for Health Statistics
Hyattsville, MD
20782

1-800-232-4636