title: Leading causes of unintentional and intentional injury mortality: United States, 2000-2009.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We have described national trends for the 5 leading external causes of injury mortality.
  
  
  METHODS
  We used negative binomial regression and annual underlying cause-of-death data for US residents for 2000 through 2009.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mortality rates for unintentional poisoning, unintentional falls, and suicide increased by 128%, 71%, and 15%, respectively. The unintentional motor vehicle traffic crash mortality rate declined 25%. Suicide ranked first as a cause of injury mortality, followed by motor vehicle traffic crashes, poisoning, falls, and homicide. Females had a lower injury mortality rate than did males. The adjusted fall mortality rate displayed a positive age gradient. Blacks and Hispanics had lower adjusted motor vehicle traffic crash and suicide mortality rates and higher adjusted homicide rates than did Whites, and a lower unadjusted total injury mortality rate.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Mortality rates for suicide, poisoning, and falls rose substantially over the past decade. Suicide has surpassed motor vehicle traffic crashes as the leading cause of injury mortality. Comprehensive traffic safety measures have successfully reduced the national motor vehicle traffic crash mortality rate. Similar efforts will be required to diminish the burden of other injury.
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center, PO Box 9190, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506-9190, USA. irockett@hsc.wvu.edu
authors.forename: Ian R H
authors.initials: IR
authors.lastname: Rockett
authors.forename: Michael D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Regier
authors.forename: Nestor D
authors.initials: ND
authors.lastname: Kapusta
authors.forename: Jeffrey H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Coben
authors.forename: Ted R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: Randy L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Hanzlick
authors.forename: Knox H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Todd
authors.forename: Richard W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Sattin
authors.forename: Leslie W
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Kennedy
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kleinig
authors.forename: Gordon S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000401:mortality; D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000401:mortality; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006708:Homicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011041:Poisoning / Q000401:mortality; D044469:Racial Groups / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012737:Sex Factors; D013405:Suicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000401:mortality*; D055815:Young Adult