Impairments due to injury, United States-1971

During 1971 there were an estimated 12.5 million impairments of various types caused by injury based on data reported in the Health Interview Survey of the civilian population not confined to institutions. An impairment is a chronic or permanent defect, disabling or not, representing for the most part decrease or loss of ability to perform certain functions, particularly those of the musculoskeletal system and special senses. The originating cause, or etiology, is obtained for each impairment reported in the interview. Based on data collected in 1971 there were an estimated 51.1 million impairments reported in household interviews in response to the list of impairments on the questionnnaire or in response to questions about conditions causing disability or medical attention, of which 24.6 percent were reported as having been caused by injury. The report, "Impairments Due to Injury by Class and Type of Accident, United States, July 1959-June 1961," (Series 10, No. 6) presented data quite similar to that in the present report. Among the 12.5 million impairments due to injury the most frequently reported type was impairment of back or spine (except paralysis) with an estimated prevalence of 3.1 million cases The second most frequently reported type was impairment of lower extremity or hip (except paralysis or absence) with an estimate of 2.7 million. An estimated 29.3 percent of all impairments due to injury caused some degree of limitation of activity. About 25.4 percent of all impairments due to injury resulted from accidents in the home; 29.3 percent resulted from- injury occurring while at work; 17.8 percent resulted from moving motor vehicle accidents; and 20 percent resulted from some type of fall.