Hospitalizations due to Bicycle-Related Injuries Among Children and Youth
Down 15% in Five Years, Reports CIHI
(April 28, 2004)—The number of Canadian children between
the ages of 5 and 14 being hospitalized as a result of bicycle injuries has
declined by 15% over five years, according to a new report from the Canadian
Institute for Health Information (CIHI). Between 1997–1998 and 2001–2002,
the rate of hospitalization for this age group declined by 15.9%, from 42.7
to 35.9 per 100,000 population.
The lower number of hospitalizations among youth, however, was offset by an
increase among those 15 and older. Overall, in 2001–2002, bicycle-related
injuries were responsible for the hospitalization of 4,520 Canadians, an average
of 12 persons per day . This number has stayed relatively stable in the past
five years, fluctuating between 4,511 cases in 1997–1998 to 4,667 cases
in 1999–2000 (the highest in five years). One third of all cases were
children and youth in the 5 to 14 age group.
While the majority (58%) of injuries sustained among children and youth were
of an orthopaedic nature (related to bones), superficial and head injuries
each constituted over one-quarter (27%) of cases. In the five-year period
between 1997–1998 and 2001–2002, the proportion of both superficial
and head injuries resulting in hospitalization for children in this age group
each declined 11%.
“Today’s report shows that there are many serious cycling injuries
every year across Canada. These injuries should not be perceived as accidents
that we can do nothing about - safe cycling practices combined with safe cycling
environments can go a long way towards reducing these injuries,” says
Greg Webster, Director, Research and Indicator Development at CIHI. “Injuries
continue to be a leading cause of hospitalization across Canada even though
most can be prevented by reducing the level risk associated with the activity.
Reducing the risks translates into fewer injuries”
Provincial Comparisons
In 2001–2002, New Brunswick recorded the highest bicycle-related hospitalization
rate among children and youth with 63.5 per 100,000 population, followed by
Saskatchewan (58.4) and Newfoundland and Labrador (51.0). By comparison, Ontario
had the lowest rate, with 26.8 per 100,000 population, followed by Manitoba
(29.4) and Alberta (31.6).
Between 1997–1998 and 2001–2002, the largest decline in the rate
of bicycle-related hospitalizations among children and youth was recorded in
Newfoundland and Labrador, with a decrease of 36.7%. The second highest decrease
was recorded in Quebec, with 19.2%, followed by Ontario, with 18.7%. Saskatchewan
recorded the highest five-year increase, with 13.9%, followed by Nova Scotia
(9.3%) and Prince Edward Island (5.0%).
Injury Hospitalization Rate Declining; Unintentional
Falls Leading Cause
Today’s report, National Trauma Registry Report: Injury Hospitalizations,
2001–2002, provides a descriptive analysis of acute care hospitalizations
due to injury in Canada, and shows time trends and provincial differences
in injury hospitalizations from 1996–1997 to 2001–2002.
The overall injury hospitalization rate per 10,000 population declined 9%,
from 66.4 per 10,000 population in 1997–1998 to 60.6 per 10,000 in 2001–2002.
Given the growth in population, the actual number of injury hospitalizations
in Canada has remained relatively stable, declining only by 2% compared to
five years ago, from 204,532 in 1997–1998 to 200,536 in 2001–2002.
In 2001–2002, the leading cause of injury hospitalization in Canada
was unintentional falls, which represented 57% of all injury hospitalizations.
Motor vehicle collisions accounted for 14%, and being struck by an object or
person followed, with 5% of cases.
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National Trauma Registry 
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