CDC Data & Statistics | Feature: Learn About the Costs of Violent Deaths

Learn About the Costs of Violent Deaths
Violence is a significant economic burden costing society about $47 billion a year in total medical and work loss costs.

In 2005, 51,173 violence-related deaths (homicide, suicide and legal intervention combined) resulted in $47 billion in total medical and work loss costs. Males accounted for 79% of these deaths, resulting in total combined costs ($39 billion) that were almost 5 times greater than the total combined cost for females ($8 billion). However, the average medical costs per violence-related death were similar between the sexes, with $4,196 for men and $4,231 for women. Violent deaths among individuals in the 20-24 year and 25-29 year age groups cost society the most in total combined medical and work loss costs ($8.3 billion and $7 billion, respectively).

Suicide accounted for the majority of violence-related injury deaths (64%), costing society $26.7 billion in combined medical and work loss costs. The total combined cost of suicide was greater than the total combined costs of homicide ($20 billion) and legal intervention ($455 million). However, the average homicide was more costly to society than the average suicide, with average combined medical and work loss costs of $1.1 million and $819,000, respectively.

Firearm-related injuries were the leading mechanism (cause) of violence-related death, representing 58% of all violent deaths. These injuries accounted for $27.7 billion in total medical and work loss costs. Suffocation and poisoning were the next two highest-ranking mechanisms of violent death, with a total combined cost of $7.8 billion and $4.6 billion, respectively.

Data Source
•Cost data are from the WISQARS™ injury statistics reporting system, National Center for Injury Prevention and Control. CDC - Injury - WISQARS (Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System)

•Cost estimates are based on 2005 U.S. prices. They reflect costs that are representative of economic characteristics nationally, and represent the most current data available at the time of the report.

•Cost estimates for violent deaths were made by the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation [PDF - 449KB] (http://www.cdc.gov/injury/wisqars/pdf/WISQARS_Cost_Methods-a.pdf)

•Mortality and population data are from the National Center for Health Statistics' National Vital Statistics System. (NVSS - U.S. Census Populations With Bridged Race Categories)

•Counts of violent death data represent a census of all death certificates filed in all 50 states and the District of Columbia [PDF - 3.41MB] (http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr58/nvsr58_19.pdf)

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CDC Data & Statistics | Feature: Learn About the Costs of Violent Deaths