Acute Traumatic Injuries in Rural Populations

• Published in: American journal of public health (1971) Vol. 94; no. 10; pp. 1689 - 1693
• Main Authors: Peek-Asa, Corinne, Zwerling, Craig, Stallones, Lorann
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC Am Public Health Assoc 01.10.2004; American Public Health Association; American Journal of Public Health 2004
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Adult and adolescent clinical studies; Agriculture; Biological and medical sciences; Cause of Death; Child; Child, Preschool; Criminal statistics; Death & dying; Farms; Female; Firearms; Fractures; Health Services Accessibility; Humans; Incidence; Infant; Injuries; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Miscellaneous; Mortality; Murders & murder attempts; Occupational accidents; Population; Population density; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Public health; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Risk Factors; Roads & highways; Rural areas; Rural Health and Health Care Disparities; Rural Population - statistics & numerical data; Seat belts; Sex crimes; Speed limits; Suicide; Suicides & suicide attempts; Trends; United States - epidemiology; Urban Population - statistics & numerical data; Urbanization; Vehicles; Victimization; Victims of crime; Wounds and Injuries - epidemiology; United States; North America; America; United States > US; USA; Human; Rural environment; Urban environment; Health; Acute; Mortality; Suicide; Epidemiology; Trauma; Morbidity; Accident; Cultural aspect; Lesion; Comparative study; Public health
• ISSN: 0090-0036; 1541-0048
• DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.94.10.1689

In the United States, injuries are the leading cause of death among individuals aged 1 to 45 years and the fourth leading cause of death overall. Rural populations exhibit disproportionately high injury mortality rates. Deaths resulting from motor vehicle crashes, traumatic occupational injuries, drowning, residential fires, and suicide all increase with increasing rurality. We describe differences in rates and patterns of injury among rural and urban populations and discuss factors that contribute to these differences.