Youth injuries in British Columbia: type, settings, treatment and costs, 2003–2007

Abstract

In this study, the types and costs of unintentional injuries among adolescents transitioning to adulthood are examined to provide age-appropriate prevention strategies. The data were collected in 2003, 2005 and 2007, in which a total of 273 (41%), 228 (39%) and 176 (33%) youths, respectively, reported to be having at least one serious injury. The leading types of injuries were sprains/strains, broken bones and bruises. Most injuries occurred while playing sports, falling/tripping, biking or rollerblading, mainly in recreation centres (>12–15%), schools (<27–9%), and workplaces (>2–14.5%). Most injuries were treated at emergency departments, walk-in clinics and health professional's offices (68–84%). Prevention included: doing nothing; being more careful; giving up the activity and rarely, rehabilitation or physiotherapy. The total direct cost of treatment was $471,498, (Canadian) at a mean direct cost of $775 per injury. Improved sports training and educational strategies targeted at subgroups of adolescents are needed to reduce the human and economic burden of injury.

Keywords:

• sports
• unintentional injuries
• adolescence
• youth
• prevention strategies
• transitions to adulthood

Acknowledgements

This research was funded by a Community Alliance for Health Research grant from the Canadian Institutes for Health Research (Grant #CAR-43275). The authors thank Tracey Hulten, Adrienne Bonfonti and Drs. Cecilia Benoit, Nancy Galambos, Gordon Barnes, Wayne Mitic, Mandeep Dhami and many of the community partners who with Drs. Jansson and Leadbeater compiled the Healthy Youth Survey that is used in this research. They also thank the many research assistants who helped in the data collection and the youths who completed the survey. Finally, the authors acknowledge with appreciation the many contributions to their thinking about this topic from their collaborator Richard Stanwick, MD.