Circumstances of Injuries
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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 |
1 Z 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
| Decedent’s role in accident: | Number | Percent | Standard error of percent | 95 percent confidence interval (+/- percent) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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: | Number | Percent | Standard error of percent | 95 percent confidence interval (+/- percent) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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: | Number | Percent | Standard error of percent | 95 percent confidence interval (+/- percent) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
- Page last reviewed: November 6, 2015
- Page last updated: January 14, 2010
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