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The economic impact of injuries: a major source of medical costs.

L C Harlan, W R Harlan and P E Parsons

Department of Epidemiology, University of Michigan School of Public Health.

Data from the 1980 National Medical Care Utilization and Expenditure Survey were analyzed to place the costs for injuries in the context of all medical costs and to describe the distribution by demographic and diagnostic groups. For the non-institutionalized population, injuries, which include intentional and unintentional, were the second leading cause of direct medical costs, accounting for $16,745 million in medical care expenditures and a major contributor to work loss and disability in the US. For the working-age population (17-64 years) injuries were the leading cost category ($11,341 million) and the third most costly category for persons 65 years of age and over ($3,479 million). The preponderance of costs were attributable to hospital-based care. Direct medical costs were disproportionately greater for males, White and other persons, and for those with household incomes less than $5,000. Injury morbidity also accounts for major indirect costs. Fractures accounted for the highest direct medical costs, greatest per capita charges (based on those with charges), and largest number of restricted activity days. These national estimates document the economic importance of injuries and direct public attention to policy imperatives related to research and prevention.

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