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One out of every three people will be either directly or indirectly affected by trauma. A trauma is any life-threatening occurrence, either accidental or intentional, that causes injuries. The leading causes of trauma are motor vehicle accidents, falls, and assaults. Trauma is the leading cause of death among Americans under 44 years of age.
It is a fact that a trauma occurs every four seconds. Six minutes from now, someone in the United States will die from trauma and another will be permanently disabled. Trauma kills more people under the age of 44 than cancer, heart disease, AIDS or other diseases. It 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 cots to society.
Fortunately, since the inception of the San Diego County Trauma System in 1984, the preventable death rate from major traumatic injury in this county fell from 21% to less than 1%. Motor vehicle accidents account for nearly 75% of the traumatic injuries in San Diego County, and over half of those who die are not wearing seat belts.
Regional Trauma Center
UCSD Medical Center, Hillcrest
200 West Arbor Drive, 8896
San Diego, CA
(619) 543-7200 |