DPH Recognizes National Injury Prevention Day, Launches Injury Data Dashboard

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Nov. 18, 2024

COLUMBIA, S.C. — In observance of National Injury Prevention Day on Monday, Nov. 18, the South Carolina Department of Public Health’s (DPH) Injury and Substance Use Prevention Section is proud to announce the launch of South Carolina’s Injury Data Dashboard.

This comprehensive, interactive tool is designed to provide insightful data and analysis on various injury indicators and overall injuries in South Carolina. 

“We’re excited to announce the launch of DPH’s Injury Data Dashboard,” said Emma Kennedy, Director of DPH’s Injury and Substance Use Prevention Section, which developed the dashboard. “The dashboard will allow partners to have injury data at their fingertips for writing grant applications, identifying high injury burden areas and directing resources where they are needed most.”  

DPH’s Injury Data Dashboard focuses on the following injury data measures: Overall Injury, Motor Vehicle Traffic, Traumatic Brain Injury, Unintentional Falls, Drowning, Homicide/Assault, Suicide/Self-Harm, and Firearm.  

The data includes Emergency Department Visits, Hospital In-Patient Visits and Mortality. Data can be further grouped by region or county. The goal of the dashboard is to help inform decision making, raise awareness of injuries in South Carolina, and provide access to valuable injury-related prevention resources. 

According to the CDC’s National Injury Data Reports, the leading causes of death and hospitalization for people ages 1 to 44 are unintentional injuries and violence. Each year, unintentional and violence-related injuries cause more than 240,000 deaths among people of all ages in the United States. The CDC has also reported that the total cost of injury and violence in the United States is approximately $4.2 trillion per year. 

In South Carolina in 2021, there were 6,150 overall injury deaths, as reported by DPH’s Vital Statistics Department.  The SC Office of Revenue and Fiscal Affairs reported that in 2021 there were 25,521 overall injury hospitalizations and 420,806 overall injury emergency department visits. 

National Injury Prevention Day is designed to raise awareness about the burden of injury and the need for change. It is dedicated to educating and empowering communities that support preventing injury and violence.  

“We can all work together to prevent injuries through simple actions like buckling our seatbelts, assessing our surroundings for any obstacles, and locking up or disposing of unused medications,” said Heather Kirlough, DPH’s Core State Injury Prevention Plan Coordinator. “South Carolina should be a safe and healthy place for all our community members, and DPH is dedicated to providing statewide services and support.” 

For more information about Injury Prevention in South Carolina, visit DPH’s Injury and Violence Prevention webpage. 

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