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Injury is one of the leading
causes of death in Aboriginal people. The number of injury-related
deaths in the Aboriginal population is approximately three to
six times higher than in the Canadian population.
In both the Aboriginal and Canadian populations, deaths due to
injuries are higher among males than among females. The age when
these injuries occur is similar in both populations, with numbers
being particularly high among those aged 15-24. The most frequent
causes of fatal injury in Aboriginal people are motor vehicle
accidents (MVAs) and suicides. Although injury-related deaths
remains high, things have improved over time: injury deaths have
decreased by 37 per cent between 1989-1993. Most of this decrease
was in deaths due to MVAs and drowning; however the numbers of
deaths due to suicide and homicide have stayed relatively the
same.
Motor Vehicle Accidents
MVAs are one of the most common type of injury death, particularly
among males, in the Aboriginal population. Risk factors for MVAs
include: greater distances they have to travel for regular activities,
their isolation from emergency facilities and their frequent
use of riskier vehicles such as all terrain vehicles and snowmobiles,
especially in the North.
Drownings
Aboriginal people experience a higher number of drowning-related
deaths compared to the Canadian population. Drowning-related
deaths are 15 times higher in toddlers compared to other age
groups and are also higher among males. Approximately 8 out of
every 10 drownings involve a male. In spite of the high number
of deaths due to drowning, drowning-related deaths have decreased
by 56 per cent between 1979 and 1993. Risk factors contributing
to drownings include: proximity to water, especially in Northern
climates where the water temperature is low and can produce death
from hypothermia, the low use of floatation devices, and alcohol
use.
Fire and Flames
Fire- and flame-related injuries are four to eight times higher
than in the Canadian population. However, in the periods 1979-1981
and 1991-1993, deaths from fire and flames decreased by 44 per
cent. Risk factors for fire and flame-related injuries include:
wood frame construction, few smoke detectors and smoking habits.
Falls
Fall-related injuries are strongly associated with older age
groups. In the Aboriginal population, fall-related injuries are
approximately three times higher than in the Canadian population.
Between 1979-1981 and 1991-1993, the deaths due to falls among
people age 25 or older decreased.
Poisonings
Accidental poisoning seems to be more frequent in the Aboriginal
population compared to the Canadian population. Accidental poisonings
are four times higher than the average and are more common in
children under the age of 4. However deaths due to accidental
poisonings are increasing in older age groups.
Suicide and Homicide
Suicide is three to four times higher than in the Canadian population
and accounts for roughly 25 per cent of all injury deaths in
the Aboriginal population. The highest numbers of deaths due
to suicides tend to be between the ages of 15 and 24 and the
numbers of completed suicides are higher in males than in females.
Deaths due to homicide in Aboriginal people are four to five
times higher than average, with the majority of the victims being
younger males.
Risk factors for suicide, violence, and assault include: community
characteristics like high number of occupants per household,
single-parent families, fewer elders, lower average income and
education, and hunting lifestyle (access to firearms).
Aboriginal people face many risks of injuries. Although there
have been some reductions in the number of deaths due to injury
in the Aboriginal population, they are still high, especially
compared to those of the general Canadian population. Injuries
account for a large number of premature deaths in Aboriginal
people. Motor vehicle accidents and drug poisoning cause many
deaths, while suicide is widespread, and tends to occur at a
young age. There is some hope, however, with many communities
and organizations taking action to prevent injuries and reduce
their accompanying burden in the Aboriginal population.
Source: Unintentional and Intentional
Injury Profile for Aboriginal People in Canada, 1990-1999
Website: http://hc-sc.gc.ca/fnihb-dgspni/fnihb/chp/ipc/publications |
