Mortality Due to Injury

Injury-related deaths are declining slowly.

Global deaths from road injuries declined by 5.9% since 2010, suicide by 5.9% since 2000, and unintentional poisoning by 25%. Homicide rates fell slightly, but the Americas still face alarmingly high levels. Despite slow progress, injury remains a major global killer, especially for young adults and men.

Insights

Political: Road safety frameworks and mental health policies remain underdeveloped in many high-burden regions; few have comprehensive injury prevention plans.

Economic: Injuries result in major productivity losses, especially among working-age men; prevention investments remain low.

Social: Disparities by sex and age are stark—men account for the vast majority of injury deaths, and youth face the highest homicide risks.

Technological: Improved vehicle safety, digital mental health platforms, and real-time trauma response tools show promise but lack global scaling.

Legal: Weak enforcement of road safety laws, firearm regulations, and mental health protections hinder injury prevention efforts.

Environmental: Urban design and transport infrastructure contribute to road injuries and pedestrian deaths; unsafe storage of toxic substances elevates poisoning risks.

Reflective Questions

• How might road injury prevention be mainstreamed into urban planning and mobility strategies?

• What approaches can reduce suicide and violence, especially among youth and men?

• How can digital tools better detect and respond to early warning signs of self-harm or interpersonal violence?

Related Insight Cards

References:

World Health Organization, 2021. Global health estimates 2021. Geneva: World Health Organization. Available at: https://www.who.int/data/globalhealth-estimates

World Health Organization, 2023. Global status report on road safety 2023. Geneva: World Health Organization. Available at: https://iris.who.int/handle/10665/375016