The goals, development, and use of trauma registries and trauma data sources in decision making in injury.

Trauma is the leading killer of Americans under the age of 40 years and the fourth most common cause of death for all Americans. Its impact has not been studied adequately or understood completely. Rational decisions in the care and treatment of trauma patients, the prevention of injury, and the reduction of trauma's annual $177 billion costs can only be made with adequate information on the effectiveness of prevention and treatment measures. This information includes current and accurate data on who is at risk, what types of injuries are sustained, how they are treated, the severity of their consequences, and their outcomes. The availability of this information enables local and national agencies and hospitals to establish priorities, characterize high-risk groups, target prevention and treatment measures within each community, and evaluate the effectiveness of injury-control interventions. The value of hospital trauma registries as a major research tool is recognized increasingly because of their role in improving the care of the trauma patient and bringing about better resource utilization.