Although the number of unintentional injuries has decreased by almost 50% since 1990, it still continues to be the leading cause of death for children and youth (1-19 years of age) in Canada. In 2008, there were over 630 deaths due to unintentional injury in this population; over half of these due to motor vehicle accidents. Children and youth experienced over 24,000 hospitalizations (2008/09), associated with unintentional injuries: almost 40% were due to falls. Many of these non-fatal injuries result in impairments and disabilities such as blindness, spinal cord and brain injuries Child and Youth Injury in Review, 2009, (Public Health Agency of Canada).
Among seniors, unintentional injuries are the 8th leading cause of deaths overall, and the 5th leading cause of hospitalizations. Within the unintentional injury category, falls are the leading cause of both injury deaths and hospitalizations for seniors Injury Prevention for Seniors, (Public Health Agency of Canada).
What you will find
These resources provide Canadian and international information to help you plan programs in order to prevent unintentional injuries among children and seniors in your community. For more information, please visit the Best Practices section for interventions related to injuries in children and injuries in senior adults.
Data
A first step to planning a program to prevent injuries is to understand the topic through surveillance data.
Aboriginal
- First Nations Regional Health Survey (RHS), 2008/10, National Report on adults, youth and children living in First Nations communities (PDF document), The First Nations Information Governance Centre, 2012.
- Unintentional injury hospitalizations among children and youth in areas with a high percentage of Aboriginal identity residents: 2001/2002 to 2005/2006, Statistics Canada (2012).
- Injury prevention indicators for Inuit children and youth (PDF document), First Nations and Inuit Children and Youth Indicators Working Group (2010).
Canadian Data
- Unintentional injury hospitalizations and socio-economic status in areas with a high percentage of First Nations identity residents, Statistics Canada (2014).
- Intentional injury hospitalizations in geographical areas with a high percentage of Aboriginal-identity residents, 2004/2005 to 2009/2010, (peer reviewed) author Statistics Canada, Chronic Diseases and Injuries in Canada, Public Health Agency of Canada (2014).
- Injuries at work, 2013, Health fact sheet. Statistics Canada.
- The economic burden of injury in Canada (PDF document), SMARTRISK in partnership (2009).
- Injury reports, Public Health Agency of Canada.
- Data Blog: Head Injuries in Children and Youth – The invisible epidemic, Public Health Agency of Canada.
- Injury hospitalizations and socio-economic status, Canadian Institute for Health Information.
- Chronic disease and injury indicator framework, Public Health Agency of Canada (2015).
- National trauma registry report 2013: Hospitalizations for major injury in Canada, 2010-2011, Canadian Institute for Health Information.
- Motor vehicle accidents causing death, by sex and by age group, Statistics Canada (2012).
- Injuries in Canada: Insights from the Canadian Community Health Survey 2009-2010 (PDF document), Statistics Canada (2011).
- Falls and related injuries among older Canadians: Fall related hospitalizations and prevention initiatives (PDF document), Public Health Agency of Canada (2010).
- The economic burden of injury in Canada, Parachute (2009).
Children
- Child and youth injury in review, 2012 edition spotlight on road and transport safety, Public Health Agency of Canada.
- Child and youth injury in review, 2009 edition spotlight on consumer product safety , Public Health Agency of Canada.
- National trauma registry Analysis in Brief: 2007 injury hospitalizations highlights report (In focus: Pediatric injury hospitalizations in Canada, 2005-2006) (PDF document), Canadian Institute for Health Information (2008).
Economic Data
- The cost of Injury in Canada (PDF document), Parachute and Conference Board of Canada (2015).
Seniors
- Seniors’ falls in Canada: Second report, Public Health Agency of Canada (2014).
- Safety at home: A pan-Canadian home care study, Canadian Patient Safety Institute (2013).
- Seniors and falls (PDF document), Canadian Institute for Health Information (2010).
Provincial/Territorial Data
Alberta
- Children and Youth injuries in Alberta (PDF document), Alberta Centre for Injury Control and Research (2012).
- Seniors’ injuries in Alberta (PDF document), Alberta Centre for Injury Control and Research (2012).
Atlantic
- Falls among Seniors: Atlantic Canada (PDF document), Canadian Institute for Health Information (2010).
- Child & youth unintentional injury in Atlantic Canada: 10 years in review (PDF document), Parachute (2009).
British Columbia
- Injury Insight: Why it’s time to pop the bubble wrap (PDF document), BC Injury research and prevention unit (2015).
- The burden of concussion in British Columbia (PDF document), BC Injury research and prevention unit (2012).
- Play spaces project – Key informants’ perspective (PDF document), “Active and Safe”, Injury Prevention Initiative: Tier 2 (c) Playgrounds and Neighbourhood Play Spaces. BC Injury prevention and research unit, University of British Columbia (2013).
- BC injury atlas – injuries in British Columbia 2006 – 2010 (PDF document), BC Injury Research and Prevention Institute (2012).
- Injury insight: Snowmobiling injuries (PDF document), BC Injury Research and Prevention Unit in partnership with Karin Goodison (2012).
- iDOT Injury data online tool, BC injury research and prevention unit.
- Injury insights publications, BC Injury research and prevention unit (2011-2015).
New Brunswick
- Injuries in sport, recreation and exercise, health indicators –Issue 7 (PDF document), Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health (2013).
- Injury in New Brunswick, Health indicators – Issue 6 (PDF document), Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health (2012).
Ontario
- Ontario Injury Data Report, Ontario injury prevention resource Centre (2012).
- Ontario trauma registry report: Major injury in Ontario, Canadian Institute for Health Information.
- Pedestrian death review: A review of all accidental pedestrian deaths in Ontario from January 1st, 2010 to December 31st 2010, Office of the Chief Coroner for Ontario (2012).
- Cycling death review: A review of all accidental cycling deaths in Ontario, 2006-2010 (PDF document), Office of the Chief Coroner for Ontario (2012).
- Hospitalizations for all injuries, Public Health Ontario.
- Fall-related hospitalizations among seniors, Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care.
- Road safety: The journey ahead, Public Health Ontario
Quebec
- Québec WHO Collaborating Centre for safety promotion and injury prevention – Activity Report 2013-2014 (PDF document), Government of Quebec (2015).
- Nombre de personnes accidentées de la route selon l’année d’accident et l’âge (French only). Statistics on the number of road accident victims by age and year. Quebec Government.
- Chutes chez les personnes âgées de 65 ans et plus vivant à domicile : Des données à l’action (PDF document) (French only). Public health falls-prevention strategies specifically targeted at seniors living at home; includes a section on statistics. Institut national de santé publique du Québec (2012).
- Santéscope: Evolution for Québec: Physical health status (open drop down menu): Unintentional injuries, Institut national de santé publique du Québec (2010).
- When kissing owies isn’t enough: Injuries during childhood (PDF document), Institut de la Statistique du Québec (2010).
- Cree Health Survey 2003: Canadian Community Health Survey, Cycle 2.1: Iiyiyiu Aschii: Injuries and transportation safety (PDF document), Institut national de santé publique du Québec (2008).
Saskatchewan
- Statistics, Saskatchewan Prevention Institute.
- Saskatchewan comprehensive injury surveillance report, 1995-2005, Ministry of Health et al. (2008).
International Data
Australia
- Research and statistics for injury prevention and control, Flinders University, Adeleide.
- Hospitalised injury in children and young people 2011-12, Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2014).
- Indigenous child safety, Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2014).
- Trends in hospitalisations due to falls by older people, Australia 1999-00 to 2010-11, Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2013).
European Union
- Injuries in the European Union: Summary of injury statistics for the years 2008-2010 (PDF document), Eurosafe (2013).
New Zealand
- Injuries – Injury Information Portal Includes official injury statistics, reports, presentations, databases and datasets. Statistics New Zealand.
- Chartbooks of the New Zealand injury prevention strategy serious injury outcome indicators, Statistics New Zealand (2010).
United Kingdom
- National child and maternal health intelligence network, Public Health England (2015).
United States
- Injury data and resources, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- Youth risk behavior surveillance system: Unintentional injuries and violence, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- WISQARSRT Injury prevention and control: Data and statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
World Health Organization
Government Strategies (Frameworks, Action Plans, etc.)
Canadian Strategies
- Urban traffic calming and road safety: Effects and implications for practice (PDF document), Institut national de santé publique du Québec and National Collaborating Centre for Healthy Public Policy (2012).
Aboriginal Strategies
- Healthy aging through fall prevention among older Aboriginal people: From many voices to a shared vision, Centre for Aboriginal Health Research, University of Victoria (2011).
Provincial/Territorial Strategies
Alberta
- Injury prevention and safety, Alberta Health Services.
British Columbia
- Injury prevention – Working towards an injury-free BC, BC Ministry of Health.
- Seniors’ fall prevention, BC Ministry of Health.
New Brunswick
- A framework for the prevention of unintentional injury in New Brunswick, Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health (2012).
Northwest Territories
- Concussion and brain injury prevention & drowning prevention action plan, Government of Northwest Territories.
- A culture of safety: NWT injury prevention strategy 2007-2012 (PDF document), Ministry of Health and Social Services (2007).
Nova Scotia
- Speak up: An action plan to address bullying and cyberbullying, Government of Nova Scotia (2013).
- Nova Scotia’s renewed injury prevention strategy: Taking it to the next level (PDF document), Nova Scotia Health Promotion and Protection (2009).
Ontario
- Integrated Provincial falls prevention framework and toolkit (PDF document), Ontario Minister of Health and Long Term Care (2011).
Quebec
- Public Health scientific advisory on the prevention of farm injuries in Quebec: Synthesis report (PDF document), Institut national de santé publique du Québec (2013).
International Strategies
Europe
- TACTICS Action planning for child safety: 2014 update on the strategic and coordinated approach to recuing the number one cause of death for children in Europe – injury (PDF document), European Child Safety Alliance (2014).
France
- Child Safety in Europe: France, European Child Safety Alliance.
New Zealand
- New Zealand injury prevention strategy, New Zealand Government.
United Kingdom
- Reducing unintentional injuries in and around the home among children under 5 years, Public Health England (2014).
- Reducing unintentional injuries on the roads among children and young people under 25 years, Public Health England (2014).
United States
- Injury, violence and safety, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
- National action plan For child injury prevention (PDF document), National Centre for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2012).
World Health Organization
Guidance
Canadian Guidance
Aboriginal
- A journey to the teachings: A community approach to injury prevention, Health Canada (2009).
Children
- Child safety good practice guide: Good investments in unintentional child injury prevention and safety promotion – Canadian Edition (PDF document), Parachute (2011).
Seniors
- Age-friendly communities, Public Health Agency of Canada.
Provincial/Territorial Guidance
Alberta
- Safety guidelines for physical activity in Alberta schools 2013 (PDF document), Alberta Centre for Injury Control & Research.
British Columbia
- Concussion among children and youth in British Columbia (PDF document), BC Injury research and prevention unit (2013).
- Falls and related injuries in residential care: A framework & toolkit for prevention (PDF document), Centre of Excellence for Mobility, Fall Prevention and Injury in Aging, and Centre for Hip Health and Mobility (2010).
- Model Core Program Paper: Prevention of unintentional injury (PDF document), BC Ministry of Health (2007).
- Tool Repository, BC Injury research and prevention unit, Nova Scotia Child Safety Injury Prevention Program and Canadian Collaborating Centres for Injury Prevention and Control.
Manitoba
- A review of best practices, Healthy Living, Seniors and Consumer Affairs, Manitoba Health.
Ontario
- Prevention of injury: Guidance document (PDF document), Ministry of Health Promotion (2010).
- Prevention of falls and falls-related injuries in community dwelling seniors: An evidence-based analysis, Ontario Seniors’ Secretariat (2008).
Quebec
- Falls prevention among seniors living at home: Preliminary recommendations for clinical practice guidelines (PDF document), Institut national de santé publique du Québec (2014).
- Safety of elementary school students walking or bicycling between home and school in Quebec: Summary (PDF document), Quebec National Institute of Public Heath (2013).
International Guidance
United Kingdom
- The assessment and prevention of falls in older people, National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (2013).
- NICE public health guidance 29: Strategies to prevent unintentional injuries among under-15s, National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (2010).
- NICE public health guidance 30: Preventing unintentional injuries among under-15s in the home, National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (2010).
- NICE public health guidance 31: Preventing unintentional road injuries among under-15s: road design, National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (2010).
United States
- Injury prevention and control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
WHO/Pan American Health Organization
World Health Organization
Systematic Reviews of the Research
Selected reviews from HealthEvidence.org:
Children
- A systematic review on the effectiveness of school and community-based injury prevention programmes on risk behaviour and injury risk in 8-12 year old children, (2014).
- Parenting interventions for the prevention of unintentional injuries in childhood, (2013).
- Preventing unintentional injuries to children under 15 years in the outdoors: A systematic review of the effectiveness of educational programs, (2012).
- Home safety education and provision of safety equipment for injury prevention, (2012).
- Non-legislative interventions for the promotion of cycle helmet wearing by children, (2011).
Seniors
- Multiple component interventions for preventing falls and fall-related injuries among older people : Systematic review and meta-analysis (2014).
- Falls prevention interventions for community-dwelling older persons with cognitive impairment: A systematic review, (2013).
- Vision screening of older drivers for preventing road traffic injuries and fatalities, (2011).
- The effect of vitamin D on falls: A systematic review and meta-analysis, (2011).
- Effective exercise for the prevention of falls: A systematic review and meta-analysis, (2008).
Search more systematic reviews.