VOL May 1996, Vol. Focus. . .
Injuries are a serious public health problem.
During 1994, injury caused the deaths of 3,791 persons in Missouri. That same year, considering all hospitalizations, emergency department visits, outpatient surgery, and observations co mbined, more than 1 out of 10 Missourians were treated for nonfatal injury, with 46,323 cases severe enough to be hospitalized. There is an unknown number of other, usually less serious, injuries treated in physician offices, first aid centers, or at home , etc. Before 1993, no more than 40 percent of hospital discharge records of persons treated for injury contained an E-code. Until 1993, complete information was not systematically collected statewide from emergency departments or outpatient surgery clinics.