Youth injuries in British Columbia: type, settings, treatment and costs, 2003-2007.
In this study, the types and costs of unintentional injuries among adolescents transitioning to adulthood are examined to provide age-appropriate prevention strategies. The data were collected in 2003, 2005 and 2007, in which a total of 273 (41%), 228 (39%) and 176 (33%) youths, respectively, reported to be having at least one serious injury. The leading types of injuries were sprains/strains, broken bones and bruises. Most injuries occurred while playing sports, falling/tripping, biking or rollerblading, mainly in recreation centres (>12-15%), schools (<27-9%), and workplaces (>2-14.5%). Most injuries were treated at emergency departments, walk-in clinics and health professional's offices (68-84%). Prevention included: doing nothing; being more careful; giving up the activity and rarely, rehabilitation or physiotherapy. The total direct cost of treatment was $471,498, (Canadian) at a mean direct cost of $775 per injury. Improved sports training and educational strategies targeted at subgroups of adolescents are needed to reduce the human and economic burden of injury.
Department of Psychology, University of Victoria, P.O. Box 3050 STN CSC, Victoria, BC, V8W 3P5, Canada. bleadbea@uvic.ca
Bonnie
B
Leadbeater
Shelina
S
Babul
Mikael
M
Jansson
Giulia
G
Scime
Ian
I
Pike
D000293:Adolescent; D001955:British Columbia / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D017048:Health Care Costs / Q000639:trends*; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D014505:Urban Population; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000145:classification / Q000191:economics / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy; D055815:Young Adult