Toigo, Stephanie and McFaull, Steven R and Thompson, Wendy (2023) Impact of substance-related harms on injury hospitalizations in Canada, from 2010 to 2020. Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Prevention in Canada, 43, (3), pp. 130-138. doi.org/10.24095/hpcdp.43.3.03.
External website: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/re...
Introduction: Injuries continue to be a leading cause of death and contribute significantly to hospitalizations each year in Canada. Substance use has been associated with an increase in intentional and unintentional injuries, resulting in hospitalizations. This study examines trends in injury hospitalizations with a co-occurring substance diagnosis, to quantify the burden of injuries and identify at risk populations.
Methods: We analyzed Discharge Abstract Database data between 2010/11 and 2020/21, for clinical and demographic information about hospital discharges across Canada. We used ICD-10 codes to identify injury hospitalizations with co-occurring substance diagnostic codes, by injury intent and substance type. Rates, proportions, age-specific rates and age-standardized rates were calculated, trends quantified using average annual percent change and results stratified by sex and age group.
Results: From 2010/11 to 2020/21, unintentional injuries accounted for over half of all substance-related injury hospitalizations. Substance-related injuries accounted for 12% of total injury hospitalizations over this period. Overall, substance-related injury hospitalizations with co-occurring use of stimulants, opioids, cannabinoids and alcohol increased significantly among males and females. Unintentional substance-related, injury hospitalizations were more common later in life, and intentional substance-related injuries were more common among adolescents and young adults.
Conclusion: These results highlight key demographic groups with higher rates of substance-related injury hospitalizations that would benefit from targeted prevention efforts.
B Substances > Alcohol
B Substances > Cannabis product (Cannabinoids)
B Substances > CNS stimulants
G Health and disease > Disease by cause (Aetiology) > Injury
J Health care, prevention, harm reduction and treatment > Health care programme, service or facility > Hospital
VA Geographic area > Canada
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