About Injury and Violence Prevention
The Injury and Violence Prevention Program works with state and local partners to help Tennessee communities implement evidence-based injury and violence prevention programs. The program provides the following:
- Injury data to community groups and the public to assist them in their injury and violence prevention program design and development
- Technical assistance related to program implementation and evaluation
- Provision of child safety seats
- Education and training on Injury and violence topics
Both injuries and violence are preventable.
Injury is a major public health problem across the U.S. and in Tennessee. It is the leading cause of death among children and young adults and leads to an overwhelming 161 thousand years of potential life lost (YPLL) due to death before the age of 75 in the state of Tennessee from one year alone. While fatal injuries are tragic, they represent only a small portion of the actual burden of injury in our population. Thousands of Tennesseans face disability and chronic pain for the rest of their lives due to injuries that are often predictable and preventable. For the Top Ten Leading Causes of Death in the U.S. for Ages 1-44 from 1981-2020, visit this CDC website.
- In 2020, Injuries in Tennessee caused 8,224 deaths, 37, 437 hospitalizations and 469,180 emergency department visits. Each day in Tennessee there are approximately 22 deaths due to injuries, 98 hospitalizations for treatment of an injury, and 1,285 visits to an emergency room for an injury.
- Unintentional injury is the number one cause of death for Tennesseans, ages 1-44. Prescription drug overdose is the number one cause of injury death in Tennessee followed by motor vehicle crashes.
Violence is the intentional use of power or force against oneself or another person. Examples of violence include suicide, homicide and sexual assault.
- Suicide was the 2nd leading cause of death for Tennesseans ages 25-34 and the 3rd leading cause of death for ages 15-24 in 2020.
- In 2020, homicide accounted for 562 deaths in Tennessee.
- There were 5,284 sexual assaults reported in Tennessee in 2020.