Unintentional injuries are the leading cause of death for Canadian children and youth from one to 19 years of age. Infants under one year are excluded from this statistic due to distinct patterns of mortality for this age group. The most common cause of death for infants under one year is immaturity, followed by congenital anomalies; however, injury-related deaths among infants are also of concern. In 2005, a total of 720 Canadians under the age of 20 years died as a result of injury. Furthermore, there were 29,142 injury hospitalizations for this age group in the year spanning 2005/06. Injuries were the third leading cause of hospitalizations among all children and youth, behind respiratory and digestive disease. Many non-fatal injuries result in impairments and disabilities such as blindness, spinal cord injury and intellectual deficit due to brain injury. The economic burden of unintentional and intentional injuries combined, for Canadians of all ages in 2004, is estimated to be $19.7 billion per year, including both direct and indirect costs.

Source: http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/publicat/cyi-bej/2009/index-eng.php see more here

Facts on Injury

Unintentional and intentional injuries are a serious public health concern in Canada:

• In 2003, 13,906 Canadians died as a result of injuries (this figure excludes adverse events in medical care).
• 226,436 people were admitted to hospital in Canada because of injuries, excluding adverse events in medical care, between 1 April 2002 and 31 March 2003.
• Injuries, excluding adverse events in medical care, are the leading cause of death for Canadians between the ages of 1 and 44 and the fourth leading cause of death for Canadians of all ages.
• Many non-fatal injuries result in impairments and disabilities such as blindness, spinal cord injury and intellectual deficit due to brain injury.
• Injuries are a major cause of premature mortality and disability in Canada. Fatal and disabling injuries often strike down adolescents and young adults. In 2003, injury, excluding adverse events in medical care, was the second leading cause of potential years of life lost (PYLL) (after cancer) before the age of 70.
• In an international comparison of injury deaths (mortality rates) in 11 developed countries, Canada had the 5th lowest death rate for all injuries, excluding adverse events in medical care, and the 7th lowest rate for suicide. (Fingerhut et al. Advance data from vital and health statistics; no. 303. Hyattsville, Maryland: National Center for Health Sciences. 1998.)
• The economic burden of unintentional and intentional injuries combined is estimated to be greater than $12.7 billion per year or 8% of the total direct and indirect costs of illness, ranking 4th after cardiovascular disease, musculo-skeletal conditions and cancer. (The economic burden of illness in Canada, 1998. Health Canada, 2002)
• Another economic study estimated that unintentional injuries alone cost Canada more than $8.7 billion annually. (Angus D et al. The economic burden of unintentional injury in Canada, SMARTRISK, 1998)

Source: http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/injury-bles/facts-eng.php see full article here

The Haddon Matrix

The Haddon Matrix is the most commonly used paradigm in the injury prevention field.

Developed by William Haddon in 1970, the matrix looks at factors related to personal attributes, vector or agent attributes, and environmental attributes before, during and after an injury or death. By utilizing this framework, one can then think about evaluating the relative importance of different factors and design interventions.

source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haddon_Matrix

Below you will see how it is applied in the Canadian Red Cross PeopleSavers Course (Pg. 15, Section B, Canadian Red Cross PeopleSavers Facilitators Manual)

The example: A child receives a pair of roller-blades as a gift. He decides to go for a long skate on quite a hot day.