Injuries are common, costly, and preventable. In Colorado, injury (including unintentional injuries and violence) is the third leading cause of death, ranking below cancer and heart disease. Injury is the leading cause of death for Coloradans ages 1 to 44 years old. Each year, 3,700 Coloradans die from injuries, a loss that affects the individuals, their families and friends, their community and society. In addition to the human toll, injury deaths create a substantial economic burden. In Colorado, injury deaths in 2013 led to over $3.2 billion in combined medical costs and work-loss costs. Additionally, for every injury death among Coloradans, there are almost 10 injury hospitalizations and 100 emergency department visits. Each year, there are 30,000 hospitalizations and 302,000 emergency department visits for non-fatal injuries among Colorado residents.

Young adulthood - ages approximately 18 to 26 - is a critical period of development with long-lasting implications for a person's economic security, health and well-being. Young adults are key contributors to the nation's workforce and military services and, since many are parents, to the healthy development of the next generation. Although 'millennials' have received attention in the popular media in recent years, young adults are too rarely treated as a distinct population in policy, programs, and research. Instead, they are often grouped with adolescents or, more often, with all adults. Currently, the nation is experiencing economic restructuring, widening inequality, a rapidly rising ratio of older adults, and an increasingly diverse population. The possible transformative effects of these features make focus on young adults especially important. A systematic approach to understanding and responding to the unique circumstances and needs of today's young adults can help to pave the way to a more productive and equitable tomorrow for young adults in particular and our society at large. Investing in The Health and Well-Being of Young Adults describes what is meant by the term young adulthood, who young adults are, what they are doing, and what they need. This study recommends actions that nonprofit programs and federal, state, and local agencies can take to help young adults make a successful transition from adolescence to adulthood. According to this report, young adults should be considered as a separate group from adolescents and older adults. Investing in The Health and Well-Being of Young Adults makes the case that increased efforts to improve high school and college graduate rates and education and workforce development systems that are more closely tied to high-demand economic sectors will help this age group achieve greater opportunity and success. The report also discusses the health status of young adults and makes recommendations to develop evidence-based practices for young adults for medical and behavioral health, including preventions. What happens during the young adult years has profound implications for the rest of the life course, and the stability and progress of society at large depends on how any cohort of young adults fares as a whole. Investing in The Health and Well-Being of Young Adults will provide a roadmap to improving outcomes for this age group as they transition from adolescence to adulthood.

In Colorado, injury is the third leading cause of death, ranking below cancer and heart disease More than 3,100 Coloradans die from injuries each year, with an additional 32,000 hospitalized for non-fatal injuries and thousands more treated in emergency departments and physicians' offices. An estimated one in eight Coloradans seek medical treatment for injuries each year. Injuries impact not only the injured person, but also families, employers, and communities.

Injuries are the leading cause of death and disability among people under age 35 in the United States. Despite great strides in injury prevention over the decades, injuries result in 150,000 deaths, 2.6 million hospitalizations, and 36 million visits to the emergency room each year. Reducing the Burden of Injury describes the cost and magnitude of the injury problem in America and looks critically at the current response by the public and private sectors, including: Data and surveillance needs. Research priorities. Trauma care systems development. Infrastructure support, including training for injury professionals. Firearm safety. Coordination among federal agencies. The authors define the field of injury and establish boundaries for the field regarding intentional injuries. This book highlights the crosscutting nature of the injury field, identifies opportunities to leverage resources and expertise of the numerous parties involved, and discusses issues regarding leadership at the federal level.