Canadian Community Health Survey: Injuries

View the most recent version.

About 4.27 million Canadians aged 12 or older suffered an injury severe enough to limit their usual activities in 2009/2010, according to a study published today in Health at a Glance.

The overall injury rate in 2009/2010 was 15%, up from 13% in 2001. The most noticeable increase over this period was among young people aged 12 to 19. For girls in this age group, the proportion of injured increased from 18% to 23%. However, adolescent males remain the group most at risk (30%).

Most adolescents' injuries were linked to sports (66%). Among working-age adults, sports and work were the main source of injuries (47%), whereas more than half (55%) of injuries among seniors occurred while they were walking or doing household chores.

Falls were the leading cause of injury. About 63% of seniors and one-half of adolescents were injured in falls, compared with 35% of working-age adults.

Sprains and strains were, by far, the most common type of injury (51%), followed by fractures and broken bones (17%).

Note: This article examines injuries among Canadians aged 12 or older using data from the 2009/2010 Canadian Community Health Survey. Estimates are based on data for the single most serious activity-limiting injury reported in the year prior to the survey, so they do not reflect all injuries. Injuries causing death or institutionalization were not included. An activity-limiting injury is the result of an incident that occurred in the previous 12 months that was severe enough to limit normal daily activities for at least one day, for example, a broken bone or a sprain.

Available on CANSIM: table 105-0502.

Definitions, data sources and methods: survey number 3226.

The article, "Injuries in Canada: Insights from the Canadian Community Health Survey" in Health at a Glance (82-624-X, free), is now available from the Key resource module of our website under Publications. For more information about this article, contact Teresa Janz (613-951-4645; teresa.janz@statcan.gc.ca).

For more information, or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact Client Services (613-951-1746; hd-ds@statcan.gc.ca), Health Statistics Division.

Additional products featuring the most recent results from the 2009/2010 Canadian Community Health Survey combined data are now available from our website, including the Health Profile (82-228-X,free), an application designed to give quick access to the latest health region level data. You can also consult the latest electronic issue of Health Indicators, 2011, no. 2 (82-221-X, free), which includes a set of more than 80 health indicators for Canada, the provinces and territories, and the health regions.

For more statistics and analysis on the health of Canadians and the health care system, visit the Health in Canada module of our website under Features.