An epidemiological perspective of injuries in the Northwest Territories

This paper reviews the epidemiology of injuries in the multiethnic population of the Northwest Territories (NWT), Canada, based on mortality, hospital morbidity, and health survey data. Overall, injury mortality in the NWT has remained consistently higher than the Canadian national rate. In the NWT, an increasing trend was observed for motor vehicle accidents and homicide in both sexes, and suicide among males, while other accidents (including fires and drowning) have declined substantially among males. The age group which reported the highest suicide rate was shifted downward between the periods 1961-70 and 1981-86. Of the three major groups in the NWT, the overall injury mortality rate was comparable between Indians and Inuit, and their rates were twice as high as that of non-Natives. The age-standardized hospitalization rate for all injuries for the Keewatin Region was similar to that of Canada as a whole whereas the rate for the entire NWT was about twice as high. In the NWT, age-specific hospitalization rate was highest in both sexes among the elderly (age 65+), followed by those in age group 15-24. A survey of a random sample of Keewatin Region residents indicated a low usage rate for seatbelts and helmets while a significant minority of drivers (18%) admitted to drinking and driving sometimes. Such data contribute to a more comprehensive assessment of the burden of injury mortality and morbidity, an important prerequisite for the investigation of risk factors and design of intervention programs.