Injury mortality risk assessment and targeting the subpopulations for prevention in the Northwest Territories, Canada.
OBJECTIVE
Prevention of injury mortality is a top priority for public health in the Northwest Territories, Canada. However, the frequency of injury mortality may not be evenly distributed in subgroups. Assessment of population relative risk of injury mortality can assist in better targeting of prevention programs.


METHODS
A population-based case-control study consisting of 197 cases was used to quantify the relative risks of injury mortality for variables age, sex, ethnicity, geographic location and remoteness.


RESULTS
A multivariate logistic model showed that the odds ratios were 2.90 (95% CI 2.09-4.03) for males, 3.39 (95% CI 2.55-4.52) for age group 15-64 years, 11.50 (95% CI 6.47-20.42) for age group over 64 years, 1.51 (95% CI 1.13-2.02) for people in remote communities, and 2.04 (95% CI 1.50-2.79) for people above 66 degrees latitude. Aboriginal people of Dene and Inuit presented increased risks in the stratified analysis by community remoteness and latitude.


CONCLUSIONS
Males, over age 14, living in remote communities, living in the far north, and being aboriginal were at higher risk of injury mortality. Based on the relative risks of injury mortality and the population size in each subpopulation, injury prevention investments should be extended to remote communities.
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Department of Epidemiology, CancerCare Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. daojun_mo@cancercare.mb.ca
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D002170:Canada / Q000453:epidemiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D004930:Inuit / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011159:Population Surveillance; D011322:Primary Prevention / Q000458:organization & administration*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000401:mortality* / Q000517:prevention & control*