Trends in public hospital injury admission rates, Victoria, July 1987 to June 1993

Admissions to Victorian public hospitals because of injury for the six years from July 1987 to June 1993 were analysed to ascertain the frequencies, rates and trends over time in rates. This information is important for epidemiological purposes, to determine priorities for injury prevention and, as baseline data, to monitor the success of interventions. The major causes of injury, and their rates, did not change markedly. Falls or transport-related injuries were still the major cause of hospitalisation. The mean annual all-age frequency over the six years was 67,902, an all-age, all-cause rate of 1620 per 100,000. The highest frequencies of injury occurred in the young age groups, 15-19, 20-24 and 25-29 years, but the highest rates occurred in the over-60 age groups. The all-age, all-cause injury rate increased significantly at 39 per 100,000 per year (2.4 per cent per year), notwithstanding the decreasing rate of transport-related injury of 17 per 100,000 per year (7.5 per cent). Significant increases were also observed for injuries from falls in all age groups and intentional self-inflicted injuries. For the 15-24 years age group, transport-related injury rates declined by 35 per 100,000 per annum but intentional injury rates were increasing. In the over-65 years age group, rates of injury from falls were increasing by 3.3 per cent per annum. The benefits of investment in prevention of transport-related injury are apparent. With high rates, frequencies and increases over time for many injury causes, similar resources for prevention of other causes of injury are justified and necessary.