PHOM Indicator Profile Report of Unintentional Injury Deaths
Why Is This Important?
In Utah, unintentional injuries are a leading cause of death and disability. They accounted for 1,537 deaths in 2022, a decrease from 1,584 in 2021. In addition, thousands of other nonfatal injuries are being treated in hospitals, doctor's offices, clinics, emergency departments, homes, schools, and work sites each year. In 2022, the leading causes of unintentional injury death for all ages in Utah were poisoning, falls, motor vehicle traffic crashes, suffocation, and drowning/submersion. Most injuries can be prevented by choosing safe behaviors, using safety equipment, and obeying safety laws. High-priority prevention areas include: poisoning, fall-related injury, motor vehicle crash injury, suffocation, pedestrian injury, and drowning/submersion.Unintentional Injury Death Leading Causes, Utah, 2003-2022 |
Twenty years ago the leading causes of unintentional injury death were motor vehicle traffic deaths and fall deaths. Motor vehicle traffic death rates have declined over the last 20 years while fall death rates have increased and are now only exceeded by unintentional poisoning deaths. Unintentional poisonings have been the leading cause of unintenional deaths since 2009 but the rate declined in 2022 to its lowest rate since 2014.
Data Sources
- Utah Death Certificate Database, Office of Vital Records and Statistics, Utah Department of Health and Human Services
- For years 2020 and later, the population estimates are provided by the Kem C. Gardner Policy Institute, Utah state and county annual population estimates are by single year of age and sex, IBIS Version 2022
- Population Estimates for 2000-2019: National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) through a collaborative agreement with the U.S. Census Bureau, IBIS Version 2020
- National Center for Injury Prevention and Control's Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System (WISQARS)