Unintentional injuries among children and adolescents in Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal communities, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada

Int J Circumpolar Health. 2010 Feb;69(1):61-71. doi: 10.3402/ijch.v69i1.17386.

Abstract

Objectives: To compare epidemiologic characteristics of unintentional injuries among children and adolescents in Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal communities in the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador (NL), Canada.

Study design: A comparative population-based study of unintentional injuries among individuals 0-19 years was conducted among Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal communities in NL.

Methods: The provincial hospital discharge and mortality data were analyzed for a 6-year period, April 1995 to March 2001. Rates and rate ratios related to hospital discharge and mortality due to unintentional injuries were calculated to assess variation of rates. The 2-independent sample binomial proportion test was used to compare rates between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal communities.

Results: The overall hospital discharge rates of unintentional injury in Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal communities were 1,132.0 and 614.2 per 100,000 population, respectively (p(2)<0.001). For both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal communities, the rate among males was higher than that of females (p(2)<0.001). The mortality rate was found to be higher in Aboriginal communities than non-Aboriginal communities (84.3 vs. 10.2 per 100,000 population) (p(2)<0.001).

Conclusions: The rate of unintentional injury among children and adolescents in Aboriginal communities is higher than non-Aboriginal communities. Sex (male) and place of residence (Aboriginal communities) were strong predictors of unintentional injury in NL.

MeSH terms

  • Accidents / statistics & numerical data
  • Adolescent
  • Child
  • Female
  • Hospitalization / statistics & numerical data
  • Humans
  • Inuit / statistics & numerical data*
  • Male
  • Newfoundland and Labrador / epidemiology
  • Wounds and Injuries / epidemiology
  • Wounds and Injuries / ethnology*
  • Wounds and Injuries / mortality