Injuries are a major yet largely preventable cause of death and disability across all age groups, causing over 650 000 deaths in the Americas in 2019 – around 9% of all deaths – with risks varying substantially by country, cause, age, sex and income group (WHO, 2025[1]).
Men had higher injury mortality rates than women in the LAC region in 2023, with 96.3 deaths per 100 000 men and 22.2 deaths per 100 000 women in LAC25, compared to 51.6 and 18.8 deaths per 100 000 respectively amongst OECD countries (Figure 3.17). Santa Lucia shows the largest gender difference with an injuries mortality rate more than nine times higher amongst men compared to women, followed by Saint Vincent and the Grenadines with rates more than eight times higher. Conversely, Cuba and Antigua and Barbuda show the lowest gender differences with injuries death gender ratios of 2.5 in both countries.
Violence accounted for 24.8% and road traffic for 19.8% of all injury deaths in LAC25 countries, adding up to more than 40% of injury deaths in 2023 (Figure 3.17). In OECD countries, the largest causes for injury death were 22.7% due to falls and 21% self-inflicted. More than 40% of all injury deaths could be attributed to interpersonal violence in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, Ecuador and Colombia while the lowest proportion was observed in Jamaica, Chile, Cuba and Argentina, all below 8% of all injury deaths. In Uruguay, Nicaragua, Guyana and Chile, self-inflicted deaths were over 20% of all injury deaths, and below 6% in Dominica, Guatemala, Peru, Jamaica and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Mortality from falls was highest in Cuba, accounting for 30.82% of all injury-related deaths, and lowest in Antigua and Barbuda, where no deaths were recorded. Drownings represented the largest share of injury mortality in Dominica, at 10.64%, and the lowest in Antigua and Barbuda, where no drowning deaths occurred.
Mortality from injuries due to violence shows an increase of 82.5% in LAC23 countries between 2000 and 2023, while the OECD had a decrease of ‑34.9% instead (Figure 3.18). The highest growth was observed in Dominica, Antigua and Barbuda, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Costa Rica with more than 155%, while the largest decrease occurred in Colombia (‑64.4%), Brazil (‑59.1%) and Nicaragua (‑54.2%). However, although Dominica appears as an outlier in terms of growth in mortality due to violence, in absolute terms the increase amounts to only 11 additional deaths per 100 000 between 2000 to 2022 (as this is the last year available). Mortality due to self-harm injuries in the period also increased in LAC23 by 9.5%, opposed to the reduction of ‑18.9% in the OECD. Paraguay shows the largest increase by 169.4% and Saint Lucia exhibits the most pronounced decrease of ‑69.9%. Road traffic injuries deaths in LAC23 experienced a decrease of –5.4% between 2000 and 2023, while the OECD showed a decrease of ‑52.4%.
OECD countries have widely adopted the “Safe System” approach to road safety, combining prevention, safer vehicles, stronger regulation and enforcement. In LAC, however, road traffic injuries have increased slightly over the past two decades, despite global road safety efforts that may have helped moderate the expected rise linked to growing vehicle ownership. Strengthening road safety governance, investing in safer infrastructure and adopting international vehicle safety standards remain critical to reducing injuries and fatalities, particularly among vulnerable road users (PAHO, 2024[2]).
