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Orange County Community Health Assessment - Executive Summary | 9 Injury Unintentional injuries are the leading cause of death for all North Carolinians from the ages of 1-44, and the fifth leading cause of death overall. They also remain a leading cause of death in Orange County. Intentional injuries (or violence) are pervasive and are a leading cause of death and hospitalization, especially for youth aged 15-35. Between 2007 and 2010, suicide rose to be the ninth leading cause of death in Orange County. The prevention of both unintentional injuries and violence are complex, and require the involvement of many sectors: public health, mental health system, law enforcement, social service agencies, health care professionals, faith community, community members, and others. Recent Progress Orange County is doing reasonably well in terms of the health of its residents, though further progress is needed in some areas. Some indicators of recent progress are given below: Health Rankings Data: According to 2011 County Health Rankings data, Orange County is the second overall healthiest county in the state (though NC ranked 32nd overall in the nation in 2011). This county ranking data allows residents to look at how healthy their county is, and to compare this to other counties in the state and nation. According to the latest report, Orange County ranked first for each health factor category except for physical environment. The county ranked second for mortality, and second for morbidity. Health Self-Reports: Self-reported health is another relevant measure of overall population health. According to 2009 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance Survey data, 87.2% of Orange County adult residents rated their health as good, very good, or excellent, exceeding the state’s current benchmark of 81.9%. This self-assessment was corroborated by the Community Health Opinion Survey conducted for this 2011 CHA. Of those who responded to the opinion survey, a total of 81% self-reported that their overall health is excellent (23%), very good (35%), or good (23%). About 17% reported fair health, and 2% poor health. Causes of Death: The leading causes of death in Orange County are very similar to the leading causes in the state of North Carolina. For Orange County in 2005-2009, the top five leading causes of death were cancer, diseases of the heart, cerebrovascular diseases, chronic lower respiratory diseases, and unintentional injuries. For each of these, the percentages and overall pattern were roughly the same in Orange County and in NC. The age-adjusted death rates for Orange County were consistently below the rates for NC, for all of the top 10 causes of death except for suicide where it was slightly higher. Causes of Hospitalization: The leading causes of hospitalization in Orange County and North Carolina are important, both as indicators of health status and drivers of health cost. In general, the ten leading causes of hospitalization are similar in Orange County and in North Carolina. In the county and state, cardiovascular and circulatory diseases, pregnancy and childbirth, digestive system diseases, injuries and poisoning, and other diagnoses (including mental health) rank among the five leading causes of hospitalization. Life Expectancy: The average life expectancy in Orange County, based on 2006-2008 numbers, is 80.8 years. The comparable figure for the state of North Carolina is 77.3 years. Injury/Recent Progress