Injuries among Hispanics in the United States: implications for research

The purpose of this article is to provide a brief overview of U.S. injury mortality among Hispanics, of past research, and of recommended research needs in the field of injury prevention and control. U.S. mortality data from the National Center for Health Statistics from 1990 to 1998 were accessed and summarized. It was found that injuries were the third leading cause of death among Hispanics and the leading cause for those 1 to 44 years of age. There were 119,314 injury deaths resulting in more than 5,000,000 years of potential life lost. Death rates from drugs and/or poisonings and falls increased 23% and 3%, respectively, whereas rates declined for all other causes. There are many gaps in published research focusing on injuries in Hispanic populations. Further research initiatives must be a priority because injuries clearly result in a disproportionate share of Hispanic mortality.