Lung cancer has now surpassed breast cancer to become the leading cause of cancer death among women. The cirrhosis death rate among Native Americans is over three times that for whites. Alcohol use during pregnancy is the leading preventable cause of birth defects. Alcohol use by teens frequently leads to crime, unprotected sexual activity, personal injury, and poor school performance. Reduce the incidence of preventable injuries and violence Injuries resulting from motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death among persons ages 1-34.
Falls are the leading cause of injury hospitalizations, both in Washington and nationally.
There were 14,976 hospitalizations due to falls in 1991, three times that of hospitalizations due to motor vehicle crashes. Thirty percent of drowning deaths were boating-related. There were 120 workplace injury fatalities in 1992. In 1991, there were 684 suicides, making suicide the leading cause of intentional injury deaths in Washington. There were 3,664 reported cases of forcible rape in 1992.