Injury mortality rates in Native and non-Native children: a population-based study
A Robertson Harrop1, Rollin F Brant, William A Ghali
1Department of Surgery, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada. rharrop@shaw.ca
Public Health Reports (Washington, D.C. : 1974)
|May 24, 2007
Summary
Native children in Alberta experience significantly higher injury mortality rates than non-Native children. Targeted injury prevention strategies are crucial for both intentional and unintentional injuries in this vulnerable population.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
- Pediatric Injury Prevention
Background:
- Injury mortality remains a significant public health concern, particularly among Indigenous populations.
- Disparities in health outcomes between Native and non-Native children warrant detailed investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze injury mortality rates in Native versus non-Native children in Alberta over a decade.
- To identify temporal trends and relative risks of injury mortality by mechanism and intent.
Main Methods:
- Observational, population-based study utilizing provincial vital statistics data.
- Injury deaths identified using external cause of injury codes (E-codes).
- Relative risks (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) calculated using Poisson regression modeling.
Main Results:
- Overall injury mortality rates declined, with similar rates of decline for both groups.
- Native children had a 4.6 times higher risk of all-cause injury death compared to non-Native children.
- Significantly elevated risks for unintentional injuries (RR=4.0), suicide (RR=6.6), and homicide (RR=5.1) were observed in Native children. Highest risks included pedestrian injury (RR=17.0) and accidental poisoning (RR=15.4).
Conclusions:
- Native children bear a disproportionately higher burden of injury mortality.
- Effective injury prevention strategies must address both intentional and unintentional injury mechanisms.
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