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Trauma is any life-threatening occurrence, either accidental or intentional, that causes injuries.
A trauma occurs in this country every four seconds.
Every six minutes, someone in the United States dies from trauma and another is permanently disabled.
One out of every three people will be either directly or indirectly affected by trauma.
Trauma is the leading cause of death and disability for Americans under 44 years of age.
The leading causes of trauma are motor vehicle crashes, falls, and assaults.
Trauma kills more people under the age of 44 than cancer, heart disease, AIDS or other diseases.
There are 150,000 trauma deaths in the U.S. each year.
While only 4 percent of U.S. adults are dependent on alcohol, 25 percent of adults drink in a hazardous way—a way that places themselves and others at risk.
Alcohol plays a significant role in trauma. Alcohol intoxication is associated with 40 to 50 percent of traffic fatalities; 25 to 35 percent of nonfatal motor vehicle injuries; up to 64 percent of fires and burns; 48 percent of hypothermia and frostbite cases; and about 20 percent of completed suicides.
Alcohol is to a trauma surgeon what cigarettes are to a pulmonologist. Both are preventable causes of death.
Research has shown that Screening and Brief Intervention for unhealthy alcohol use can reduce DUI arrests and healthcare costs. It can also cut alcohol-related trauma recidivism by up to 50 percent.
Hospital-based Screening and Brief interventions (SBI) for alcohol use associated with trauma work. Approaching patients during the “teachable moment” of their trauma visit helps many change their drinking behavior.
Non-helmeted bicycle riders are 14 times more likely to be involved in a fatal crash than helmeted riders.
The single most effective safety device available to reduce head injury and death from bicycle crashes is a helmet.
Head injuries are the leading cause of death and hospitalization in bicycle crashes and are the most important determinant of bicycle-related death and permanent disability.
The use of lap and shoulder seat belts reduces the likelihood of fatal injury in front seat passengers by 45 percent and reduces chance of moderate to critical injury by 50 percent.
Safety belts are the most effective means of reducing fatalities and serious injuries, and sadly, many adults and children aren't using them.
Every hour someone dies in America simply because they didn't wear a safety belt.
American Trauma Society was pivotal in getting Congress and the President to designate every May as Trauma Awareness Month.
Mortality rates increase by 20% when a seriously injured patient is not treated at a trauma center.
One out of eight hospital beds in America is occupied by an injured patient, accounting for more than 2 million hospitalizations annually.
Trauma kills or disables people during their most productive years of life, and costs the U.S. public over $133 billion annually in direct and indirect costs to society.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), an estimated 5,500 lives could be saved each year by increasing the level of safety belt use in the United States to 90 percent. Yet, only 68 percent of Americans wear safety belts. By contrast, Germany stands at 95 percent.
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