Why Data Linkage: The Importance of Codes (Crash Outcome Data Evaluation System)

摘要

Injuries resulting from motor vehicle crashes remain a major public healthproblem. Over five million people were injured and more than 41,000 killed in 1995. Injuries cost society annually $151 billion, of which $17 billion are medical expenses. Seventy percent of these costs are paid by third party payers. These costs cause an unnecessary burden of increased taxes and insurance premiums. Efforts to control injury must expand to reflect the magnitude of this challenge. Motor vehicle injuries can be prevented but only if we understand fully the nature of the problem. What environmental factors are associated with injuries. What can be done to reduce injury severity. Which injuries lead to long term disabilities. Which injuries are associated with high health care costs. If we know what causes poor medical outcome and high health care costs, then efforts to reduce these problems can be more effectively designed and evaluated. Data linkage is the key to providing the information needed to understand what we should focus on first.