Citation

Shults RA, Jones BH, Kresnow MJ, Langlois Orman JA, Guerrero JL. J. Saf. Res. 2004; 35(4): 447-452.

Affiliation

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, United States.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2004, U.S. National Safety Council, Publisher Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.jsr.2004.06.001

PMID

15474547

Abstract

Introduction: Little population-based information exists about the long-term effects of motor-vehicle crash-related injuries. Method: We analyzed data from the 1995 National Health Interview Survey Disability (NHIS-D) Supplement to estimate the prevalence of crash-related disability among noninstitutionalized U.S. adults aged 18 years and older. Results: More than 1.2 million adults were living in their homes with the disabling effects of motor-vehicle crash-related injuries in 1995. The prevalence of crash-related disability was highest for persons in their mid-life years, ages 35-64. Half of the respondents had sustained the injuries more than 5 years before the interview. Forty-one percent of working-aged individuals reported being unable to work because of their disability. Conclusions: Because crash-related disability is most prevalent during the mid-life years, quality of life and productivity may be affected for decades. These findings highlight the personal and societal burden associated with motor-vehicle crash-related disability in the United States.